


Twilight Wind

by Rinniboo



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Drama, M/M, Porn With Plot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-03
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-04 19:55:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5346587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinniboo/pseuds/Rinniboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yasuo has given up all hope on finding the true killer of the elder he was sworn to protect, however when someone finally believes his story, the once dying fire within him has been kindled again. Rated E for sexual content and some language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a beautiful day in the land of Ionia. Clear skies adorned the fresh green grass alongside the varieties of trees that sprouted from beneath the Earth. It was incredibly scenic; Ionia was known for its beauty after all. However, the stunning image was soon tainted as crimson droplets found their way atop the emerald green grass. Wind stirred in multiple directions as the source of the blood dragged himself throughout the seemingly never ending forest. The man looked down, saddened by the ensanguined trail he left behind him. _I can't seem to stop ruining everything I step foot on_ he thought to himself. With a sigh, he tore off a strip of his already tattered greyish-blue poncho and wrapped the rough cloth around the deep gash in his arm, right below his elbow. He had been recognized earlier by a fellow samurai whom he had trained with. At the sight of him, he immediately attacked and attempted to kill him on the spot. Using only his hands, Yasuo managed to subdue the man, however blocking his attacks resulted in the severe injury. He winced as he tied the fabric tightly, however it was certainly nothing he wasn't used to. In fact, this was definitely a more mild encounter compared to the other ones he had experienced. He was just glad he hadn't bloodied his sword once more, and unquestionably relieved he did not have to kill another person. He was tired of this life, tired of running, tired of killing, and close to giving up on seeking justice. The fuel to his fire was running out rapidly. No matter what he tried, no one would believe the words that came out of his mouth. And he didn't blame them; the situation was perfectly set up so that _he_ looked like the criminal. After all, he was the only known person to have mastered the legendary wind technique. But he knew he was not guilty, and he would not accept punishment until the true culprit was caught.

He continued on walking until he could find a secure place to rest. Staying out in the open was incredibly dangerous, especially after the previous encounter. If the man ratted him out to the authorities, the risk would be double, even _triple_ depending on the area he was in. His thoughts were soon brought to a halt as a familiar sound made his ears perk up in delight: it was a freshwater stream. He choked out a silent, gratified laugh as he made his way toward the noise. He smiled for the first time in a long while at the sight before him. He then ran toward the glorious life source and fell to his knees before it. He was parched; he hadn't had a thing to drink or eat in days. He practically dunked his face into the river and half-chugged the water down, not caring about the water that went down the wrong pipe. Yasuo quickly regretted it though, immediately removing his head out of the water and coughing harshly several times until his throat was cleared. Finding the situation hilarious, he began laughing incredibly hard at his own stupidity. "Hah, if only Yone was here to see this" he muttered. The laughing promptly stopped at those words. He slowly brought his shaking hands to his face, cupping his cheeks as he skooted towards the river once more. Looking into the river, his reflection horrified him. His hair was a complete sullied mess, his skin was now a greyish-yellow tint, complete with dark, baggy eyes. He had become somewhat zombified, a man who seemed to be playing with death stood before him. Instantaneously, he looked away and diverted his attention to the now deep blue night sky. It was a full moon, the night reminiscent of when he buried his own brother, his blood tainting his hands. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt wet, hot tears embracing the brim of his eyes. "Yone…" he murmured. He felt his shoulders rise and fall in short spurts; his crying turning into melancholy sobs. He was desperate, confused and depressed; he no longer knew what to do with his life. In that moment he knew that unless a miracle occurred, he truly had given up. "I'm sorry Yone, I'm so sorry" he sobbed out in defeat. He lay there for a few more minutes until his cries lulled him to sleep.

* * *

 

Pale yellow rays of the early morning run made their way through the large windows of the temple of the Kinkou Order. Lying silently in his bed, Shen's eyes slowly opened, awakening soundlessly. He sat up, almost in a mechanical-like manner, and proceeded to slip out of the bed. He strode swiftly across the polished wooden floors, and made his way to the washroom. After showering, he slipped on his shozoko and mask, and continued on to the balcony. He walked outside, breathing in and relishing the feel of the fresh, crisp air. He stealthily propped himself upon one of the many pearl-white pillars set upon the edge of the balcony, and with perfect balance sat upon it in a criss-cross position. He set his hands down upon either knee, and settled for a moment, taking in the beautiful scenery. He truly was grateful for all of this. After Zed's rampage and ultimate killing of the majority of the previous temples inhabitants, the survivors alongside Akali, Kennen, and other generous volunteers managed to rebuild a new temple, far from where Zed had taken over. He sighed, gently closing his eyes as he did. He began humming, focusing his Ki energy into the art of meditation. A brilliant purple aura began to emanate from him as he was slowly lifted off the pillar. He then began to chant ancient Ionian script, ones that invoked peace and prosperity to the ones near him.

His mediation was soon interrupted by a familiar pattern of footsteps headed toward him. He paused his recitation and slowly drifted down until he was seated again. Without opening his eyes, he addressed the interruption. "Fist of Shadow. What troubles have brought you before me?" Despite Shen facing away from her, she bowed her head down in respect and stayed that way. "Eye of Twilight" she said in a monotone, with the slightest hint of urgency "I deeply apologize for my intrusion. However, a wounded samurai amongst a few others have made their way to our temple seeking assistance on a rather important matter."

Shen swiftly removed himself from the pillar with a twist, and landed gently facing Akali. "I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Eye of Twilight, however, I trust that you can handle situations like these without my guidance." He opened his eyes, looking down at the bowed head beneath him. "You are one of the finest in the Kinkou Order. Do not be afraid to make your own decisions. Now go on and assist them. If you truly need me, do not hesitate to ask." Silently, Akali nodded. "Thank you for your guidance. I shall be off then." With a swift turn on her heel, she lifted her head up and with the lightest of steps, made her way out of Shen's vision. He sighed in confusion, it was rare that Akali seeked guidance from Shen. After all, she did make the right decisions one hundred percent of the time. So why now? It's probably nothing to worry about he reflected. He placed himself upon the pillar once more, and resumed his meditation, his recitations now invoked protection upon his people.

Akali resumed her kneeling position amongst the group of samurai before her. "I have spoke with the Eye of Twilight, and he has given me permission to take care of your troubles." She stated, scanning each of their faces. "Although I find it quite odd that you all urged me to seek him out, what is it that troubles you?" She eyeballed the wound on the samurai who sat in the middle of the group, wondering what exactly happened. It was no more than a centimeter deep cut across his exposed stomach, probably from a sword or possibly a dagger. 'Fist of Shadow" the wounded samurai spoke "I was attacked by an infamous man that you probably want dead" he looked straight at her "I was lucky to survive his attack, he knocked me out thinking I was dead and left me' he lied. He knew very well that Yasuo did not even fight back against his attacks, but he wanted him dead for killing the elder regardless, and he knew Akali could help with that. It was her job to eliminate those who threatened the balance after all. Yasuo certainly met that criteria.

Akali's expression changed from her usual emotionless expression to one of rage. She clenched her hands into fists, knuckles turning white. She looked up amongst the samurai, and turned her rage ridden gaze to the wounded one. He looked back at her in understanding. "Yasuo, the unforgiven" she barely spat out " _he_ did this to you?!" The samurai nodded. "We know where he is located. Perhaps you can stop his madness once and for all." The lightest of smiles crept up on his face. Akali growled an almost inaudible growl. "I will stop him" she muttered "for sullying Ionia's name by committing such an unspeakable crime!" The samurai were taken back by her sudden introduction of emotions, but quickly brought themselves to their original stance. "Thank you, Akali, you truly are of utmost help to us" one of them said. "Shall we go?" They all looked at Akali in anticipation. "We shall, immediately." The group stood up and made their way out the temple.

Kennen slowly crept out from behind the wall he was hiding behind. He watched the group leave in dismay. He couldn't let Akali do this; her emotions were getting the best of her and he knew she would do something irrational if she didn't control herself. Kennen quickly made his way up the stairs of the temple: He needed Shen now.


	2. Chapter 2

Bright golden rays of the afternoon sun shone upon Yasuo's face. He winced at the sudden contact, abruptly waking up from his poor excuse of sleep. His eyes fluttered open, and he proceeded to rub them till he could get them to fully open. Squinting, he took in his surroundings. The stream flowed peacefully, and the long grass blew gently along the wind. Sighing, he sat himself up and watched the stream flow. Placing his chin against his palms, he watched the water glisten against the sun, how it flowed through the pebbles creating their own little paths. He dipped his finger in the water, watching how it split at the contact of it. He smiled lightly, enjoying the sight. However, he quickly pulled his finger out the moment something of a slimy texture rubbed against it. He looked down once more; it was a koi fish. It popped its head out of the water, looking straight at Yasuo. Yasuo laughed gently: the fish almost looked offended. The fish then started opening and closing its mouth, it certainly looked hungry. Yasuo quickly scurried towards the greyish sack that held his belongings, and fumbled with the rope holding it together. It opened, and within it was a small roll of bread. He ripped of a tiny piece, rolling it in between two fingers till it formed a small ball. Returning to the river, he offered it to the koi. "Here ya go buddy" he motioned for it to eat. The fish quickly devoured the morsel, and then quickly returned under the water to breath. Yasuo laughed at how this mimicked his water episode the day before. He watched as the fish swam off, satisfied he had at least helped something.

His thoughts were soon interrupted as he heard a light _poof_ from across the river. He quickly stood up, looking in the direction of the noise. In front of him was something he had never seen before, a technique that he only heard rumors of. Smoke surrounded him in a perfect circle, subsequently he found it hard to move or breathe. He began coughing uncontrollably, desperately trying to escape the shadowy cloud that held him hostage. He fell to his knees, the pain similar to being strangled. Using his good arm, he dragged himself across the ground painfully until he finally escaped the radius of the smoke. He took in a deep breath, the foreign presence of air being more than welcome into his lungs. He sat himself against a nearby boulder, trying to relax and process what just happened. He looked around, trying to find the person who casted the horrific spell. "Show yourself!" he spat out. Soon after, the smoke began to fade, and a group of figures appeared within. Yasuo gasped, the sight before him unbelievable. It was at least five or six of Ionia's elite samurai, and in front of them stood a woman he had never seen before, but could definitely identify. He pushed himself further against the boulder. That was most certainly Akali, the Fist of Shadow. And the only time she made an appearance was to eliminate threats to the balance of Valoran. He breathed out; she was certainly here to kill him.

"Good work men" she said in her usual uncaring monotone. She nodded her head toward the men behind her. They kneeled and bowed their heads in response. She took a few slow steps toward Yasuo. He looked up to her, examining her expression. It was one he could recognise immediately. She was mad; seeking revenge. And she would make sure she got it.

"You most certainly are the infamous Yasuo" she mused, her arms crossed. "Most normal people don't even survive my Twilight Shroud." She gradually made her way toward Yasuo until their faces were inches apart. He kept eye contact with her at all times. She examined him, eyeballing the cut on his arm. Blood stained the handmade bandage that surrounded it. She quickly brought her gaze back to his face. "I guess its a good thing that it didn't kill you though" she muttered, taking a step back. Yasuo looked at her, his face confused and full of questions. He shook his head, standing up. "What the hell are you talking about?" Her eyebrows furled, clearly upset. "Don't you _dare_ speak to me in that tone, _filth!_ " The fire in her eyes glowed brighter. "You certainly don't even deserve to die such a peaceful death from a mere spell like that." She looked back at the men, flicking her head towards Yasuo. In an instant, they were behind Yasuo, holding his arms behind his back so that he couldn't escape. He screamed, the pressure of his wounded arm being pulled unbearable. His breathing became heavy, laced with intense pain. Sweat began beading at his forehead.

"I will make sure that you die the most painful death possible" she muttered. She grabbed his sword, pulling it out of the sheath. She held it up so that the light bounced off of it, fingering the intricate designs that adorned it. "Beautiful sword, held by the hands of a murderer" she whispered. She then threw the sword behind her nonchalantly, watching it spin in the air until it pierced the ground with a _whoosh_.

She quickly grabbed her kamas, pouring a green liquid along the edges. She looked upon Yasuo sinsterly, relishing in the fearsome expression he wore. "Goodbye, Yasuo… You shall disrupt our peace no longer."

She dashed toward him, kamas hacking and twirling against his body, he screamed, the pain of being cut and the poison burning throughout his skin easily becoming some of the most severe pain he's ever experienced. The men threw him against the ground harshly, smiling at the tortured masterpiece before them. Akali then flipped him over so that he was facing her, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him toward her.

"Admit you killed the elder, you scum!"

He breathed heavily, the poison was beginning to take a toll on him. He couldn't move, his body began heating up similar to that of a fever. He looked up at her wearily. His vision was blurry, it was hard to focus on her face. "No… I will never admit to something I did not do" he whispered weakly.

"You liar!" she screamed. Yasuo felt the world spin as he was thrown against the boulder, his head hitting it with a loud  _thud_. He lay there on the grass, wondering how much longer he would endure this until it'd finally be over. He then gasped, an immense pain rushing through his chest. He screamed so loud he was sure that all of Ionia could hear him. He looked toward his chest, and immediately regretted it. He felt tears stinging at the edges of his eyes. "How… Could you…" he muttered.

"I hope this serves as the slowest, most painful death possible." Akali murmured. "Let us go men. He will die of blood loss eventually." The group walked off into the distance. Yasuo watched one of them turn around, looking straight at him. His face looked almost apologetic. He immediately recognised him as the man that had attacked him the day before.

He then brought his attention back to the source of the pain. He began sobbing, the sight becoming too much for him. He wished the impact would at least knocked him unconscious so he wouldn't have to see this.

He had been impaled by his own sword.

A reminder that ultimately, he was his own downfall.


	3. Chapter 3

"Shen!" Kennen screamed. He ran up the incredibly long staircase that led to Shen's room, panic overtaking him. However, the moment he reached the entrance Shen was already there waiting, arms crossed. "Shen we have to -" he was silenced by a finger to his lips.

"I know, Kennen." he muttered. Shen had been observing the group as they left, and could immediately tell that Akali was out of line. "Let us not waste time then." Kennen nodded, and the two escaped the temple at lightening speed.

They hurriedly followed in the footsteps of the group, jumping over any sort of obstacle and pushing aside tree branches that may have been in the way. Although Shen was certainly fast compared to the average person, Kennen was evidently much faster due to his _lightening rush_. Shen tried to his best to keep up with the little ball of lightening, but it was getting harder and harder as their journey progressed.

Kennen seemed to notice this, and stopped using the ability so that his speed matched Shen's. Shen smiled. "Thank you, Kennen" he panted. Kennen simply nodded in his direction.

Suddenly, Kennen stopped in his tracks, stunned. Shen stopped beside him, confused. He looked in Kennen's direction questionably. "Blood." He kneeled down, tracing a small pool of the red liquid below him. Shen's eyes widened at the sight. Kennen's shut his eyes in what seemed to be frustration. He opened them again, resuming his standing position. He sighed. "And there's lots of it."

_Shit_. Shen slowly followed the crimson trail, Kennen right behind him. They were both horrified; the trail seemed to grow wider and wider as they progressed. The two ninjas began running in panic, franticly trying to find the source of the vital fluid. _What if I'm too late?!_ Memories of when the temple was taken over swarmed Shen's mind, the inability to save everyone making him drown in guilt and sorrow. Although in a mental dilemma, his face remained unaffected.

At least that's how most people would perceive it. Kennen on the other hand was superb at interpreting emotion. No matter what mask Shen put on, he could always see right through it. He slowly raised a paw and patted Shen's shoulder in a comforting manner. "It's alright Shen; I'm sure he's fine."

Shen usually hated how easily he could be read by Kennen, but in this particular moment he did appreciate the kind gesture. He nodded, and resumed pursuing the trail.

Faint groans and painful sobs could be heard from the distance. The two sped up at the sound; there was hope after all. As they ran, the noises became more prominent, and a large sword came into view. As they approached it, the scene mortified them. There lay Yasuo, beneath him a large, thick pool of blood. His skin was sliced in multiple parts of his body, distinctly from Akali's kamas. But what disturbed him most of all was the shimmering sword that pierced through Yasuo's chest, tainted by his own blood. Shen gasped, quickly running to Yasuo's side.

"Please" Yasuo groaned, pleading teary eyes looking towards Shen. Shen's eyes widened, the sight reminding him greatly of the temple and the multiple bloodied heaps that begged for him to save their lives. He quickly shook off the thought, returning to the problem at hand. He knelt down beside him with a light _splash_ as his knees collided with the blood on the ground. Hastily, he began tending to the deep gashes throughout his body. He gasped as a weak hand gripped his wrist, Yasuo's head turning toward him slowly. He groaned again, a pained gasp escaping him as he began to speak again. "Please… Just end it please" he pleaded. Shen placed his hand over Yasuo's, uncaring eyes meeting weak, sorrowful ones. "A true samurai" he paused, eyeing the sword that impaled him "would never allow such pitiful words to escape his mouth."

The once defeated, sorrowful chocolate eyes lit up to ones of questioning. He opened his mouth to speak, interrupted by a wince as Shen's fingers met one of the larger gashes. Shen noticed this, surprised he hadn't screamed aloud. Most people wouldn't be able to handle such pain in a contained manner. Experimentally, he poked at the gash again. Yasuo winced once more, a small groan escaping him. Kennen's brow furled in disapproval at the action. "Shen what are you-" Shen shushed mid sentence. Shen brought his eyes to the samurai's once more. "You certainly are not weak" he said, as if answering Yasuo's questions. "Do not give up when you've gotten this far." He sighed, adjusting himself on the earth beneath him. "If I gave up, many people would've died, and my soul would certainly decay along with them." Yasuo looked up toward him, half lidded eyes bordering on unconsciousness. A choked noise escaped him, tears flowing freely down his face. Shen held the hand around his wrist tighter. "...Why" Yasuo breathed out. Shen was about to speak again, until the samurai's eyes slowly shut, drifting into unconsciousness.

"I've never seen you so caring toward someone, Shen" the yordle whispered. Shen nodded in turn. He was right though, Shen was even surprised at the way he acted toward Yasuo. There was something about him that made Shen feel as if he needed to protect him. Almost like a mother would to her child. He couldn't explain why though, which frustrated him even more. He shook his head, clearing it of his mental ramblings and looking toward the bloodied soldier before him.

"He's going to need more medical attention than what we can offer here." Shen stated. "I'll transport him back to the temple." Kennen bowed, understanding what Shen meant. Without another word, the yordle dashed into the forest toward the direction of the temple, leaving the two by themselves.

Placing gentle hands on the sword, Shen carefully removed the sword from Yasuo's chest. Blood spilled everywhere, painting the samurai's ivory chest a deep crimson. Afterward, Shen quickly grasped Yasuo's hands, murmuring ancient Ionian script he had memorised from healing his comrades. The deep gap where the sword once rested began to close, alongside the other gashes that adorned his body. With an elongated _haa_ , a magnificent violet aura surrounded the two, and in an instant they teleported to Shen's room within the temple.

By now, Shen was panting, having used a significant amount of energy to save the samurai's life. With what little energy he had left, he lifted the man up and placed him on the large bed as gently as he could. Out of breath, he collapsed next to him. He slowly started breathing normally, trying as best he could to relax and regain the energy he lost. As he did, he eyeballed his work. Yasuo seemed untouched, only scars remained from the previous butchering. Slow, quiet breaths escaped the samurai, his breathing returning to normal. Color began returning to his once pale face, signaling sufficient blood flow. Relieved, Shen sat up.

From a short distance, he hovered over the unconscious samurai. He noticed a long scar that ran across his face, traveling over his nose. It certainly wasn't from Akali, the wound was old and was definitely from a sword. Glowing yellow eyes began to travel down his face, examining his features. He looked incredibly Ionian; the long, thick dark hair alongside his long, dark almond eyes. Gently, he placed a hand on the man's face, tracing the scar that ran through it. There was something about that scar that drew him towards the samurai, but he couldn't quite figure it out. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat. He quickly withdrew the hand as his breaths came out quicker. _What the hell was that?!_ Maybe he was just tired, he concluded. He removed himself from the bed, covering Yasuo with the thick white comforter, and retreated to the floor. He lied down, staring at the cream colored ceiling. Slowly, he shut his eyes and drifted to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember to leave a review. It really helps me whenever I get any sort of praise or criticism!
> 
> Thanks for reading, and enjoy.

A dim, throbbing pain traveled through Yasuo's head. He slowly fluttered his eyes open and took in his surroundings. _What the-_. The samurai examined what seemed to be a traditional yet luxurious Ionian bedroom. Bamboo walls adorned the tatami flooring, alongside the windows fitted with rice paper film. Everything was very simple and neat, all the furniture was made of high quality polished wood. A small low lying table held a tiny vase with burning incense, the sweet yet smoky smell filling the room. He breathed in the scent, reminiscent of the times he spent at home. Sunlight began to fill the room, Yasuo squinting at the contact. He rubbed his eyes, pushing him out of his grogginess. He shook his head, his memory was hazy after Akali had ruthlessly attacked him. He recalled seeing the Eye of Twilight aiding him, but he was sure it was just a dream. There was no way that the one that sent Akali to kill him would save his life.

But if it wasn't him, then who was it? He sat up in the large bed and pushed himself to the side, allowing him to escape the comforter that kept him hostage. He stood up on the cream colored floor as a wave of dizziness overtook him. He shook his head in an effort to rid himself of the annoyance. It suddenly hit him; he had been unconscious for a while. He examined the room again, looking for the owner or any human being for that matter. But whenever he tried to take a step forward, the same feeling would come creeping back. "Where the hell am I?" he muttered to himself.

"Welcome to the temple of the Kinkou order." a low, monotone voice replied.

Yasuo quickly looked toward the direction of the voice, only to find Shen leaning nonchalantly against the opening of the door, arms folded. The samurai's eyes widened, looking straight at the ninja. Yasuo could've sworn that the door was closed.

"There's no way…" Yasuo rambled. Shen cocked an eyebrow, his eyes seemed to glow brighter in amusement. He let out a breathy chuckle.

"You probably think that I sent Akali to terminate you" he said, golden eyes meeting deep brown ones. Yasuo nodded slowly. "Well" he adjusted himself so that he stood up straight "that, Yasuo, is certainly not the case."

"Then why would she try to kill me?!" he said, raising his voice. "I thought that you were the one that had to approve of these actions before the said person was 'terminated'."

Shen's eyes slowly dimmed, the glowing orbs meeting the floor. "Much like you Yasuo, I made a mistake" he murmured. His eyes met Yasuo's once more. "I thought I could allow Akali to make a decision on her own for once, but that proved to be a grave mistake."

Silence fell between the two. Yasuo looked into the golden eyes, thinking of what to say next.

It wasn't long, or hard to come up with a reply.

"No, it wasn't" Yasuo said without hesitation. "I deserve to die, right? I don't understand why you would save my life." Shen walked toward him, footsteps so light you could barely hear him walk across the floor. He placed his hands on Yasuo's shoulders, the samurai flinching at the contact. He motioned for him to sit down at the low table. Yasuo was confused at first, but he obliged, lowering himself upon the pillow-like cushions that surrounded the table. Shen sat next to him, facing toward him. He let out a gentle breath, and adjusted himself into a criss-cross position.

"No" he stated simply. "You most definitely don't deserve to die." Yasuo looked at him as if he'd gone mad, eyes holding millions of questions. Before he could ask one, Shen continued. "I have heard your story many times Yasuo. From what I've heard I know for a fact you are not guilty of what you're accused of." He examined Yasuo, watching his expressions carefully. "The reason I believe you is because I know someone who holds as much pride and honor, someone who has mastered a technique that no one in ages has been able to master, would never do something as pitiful as such."

Yasuo's jaw started to slowly drop.

"We have both mastered things no one else has, Yasuo. You had no reason to kill that man. And I know very well that people like ourselves think multiple times before we inflict harm upon another person. You have been framed, and wronged."

_Wait, he believes me?!_ Emotions swarmed the samurai's body; it was a feeling he couldn't describe. It was no wonder no one believed him: they did not understand what it was like to _be_ him. Understanding overcame him. Even if only Shen understood, it was at least someone. Tears began escaping his eyes and streaming down his face, chocolate eyes looking down toward the floor.

Shen scooted closer toward Yasuo. He wasn't the best at comforting people, but he thought he should at least try. Shen placed a hand on Yasuo's shoulder, rubbing it gently. Yasuo looked up at the yellow orbs, and smiled wrily. "All these years… And no one has believed me" he choked. Shen gripped his shoulder harder as even more tears escaped him. "Thank you" he murmured, sobs beginning to surface. Shen nodded in return. "I know what it's like to be betrayed, Yasuo." he said quietly. "After all, the man whom I believed to be my own brother did so to me. However, I managed to mend most of the damage he has caused." He sighed, returning his hand over his knee once more. "I want to help you Yasuo. I want to end the pain you're going through." Yasuo couldn't believe the words he was hearing. However, he was certainly grateful. It was as if his prayers were answered the moment he was going to give up. He would have to find a way to show his gratitude later on.

The samurai let out a small chuckle and looked the ninja in the eyes once more. "Words cannot suffice for how grateful I am in this very moment" he shifted into a kneeling position, and bowed his head to the floor, a form of utmost respect. "Please, let me know how I can repay you, Eye of Twilight."

"Shen is fine" the ninja assured. "And please, raise your head Yasuo."

Yasuo was confused at first, but then he understood: he considered Yasuo to be on the same level as himself, hence the acts of respect being unnecessary. He lifted his head, and he was reminded of the extreme dizziness he was experiencing before.

"Shen…" the word seemed foreign; it was rare he spoke to people of such prestige in this manner. "Exactly how long was I out for?"

The ninja crossed his arms and let out a short, quiet laugh. "About two weeks. You suffered some pretty severe injuries that put your body on lockdown." His eyes seemed to sadden in the slightest bit. "Clearly you haven't fully recovered. Please, rest some more. I assure you you'll be fine soon."

The ninja stood up and offered a hand to Yasuo. He instantly took it, and was helped off the ground. Shen moved Yasuo's arm so that it draped over his shoulder as he carefully placed Yasuo upon the bed once more.

"I can't thank you enough Shen" he murmured. "For the help, the hospitality…" he looked into the golden orbs that were fixed onto his face. For once, it seemed someone cared about him, someone actually wanted him to live. He smiled for the first time in what seemed to be years. "And for keeping me company. I missed the feeling of companionship Shen. You truly have turned my life around."

Yasuo hated that the majority of Shen's face was covered because he couldn't see how he reacted. However, the one hint that he was saying the right things was that the ninja's eyes seemed to glow brighter at the words.

The ninja placed a gentle hand on top of his, the warmth emanating on to the limb. Yasuo silently relished in it, the feeling of human contact that wasn't a threat something he longed for. He closed his eyes as the two sat in silence. After a few minutes, Shen seemed to figure out what he wanted to say.

"You know" he began. "I should really be thanking you, Yasuo." Yasuo slowly opened his eyes and looked at the ninja in confusion. Thanking me? He learned that a lot of things Shen said didn't make sense, but with time they'd be answered.

Shen slowly turned around, eyes focusing on the door. "Let me try and speed up the healing process. I will return shortly with the supplies."

Yasuo nodded slowly, and rested his head slowly against the pillow allowing it to sink in. However when he looked for Shen, he was gone. He smiled. _Typical ninja_. He slowly placed his hand on top of the one Shen did, and closed his eyes. He finally felt safe, he finally had a friend. And with that in mind, he drifted to sleep once more.


	5. Chapter 5

(Moments after Yasuo's rescue)

"Fist of Shadow!" Shen called out in fury. He was not one to get angry, however Akali's actions had brought him to that point. Even if Yasuo was indeed a traitor, there was no excuse for the way she went about her duties. A slight shiver ran through him as images of the prior scene surfaced.

"Eye of Twilight." Akali stood before Shen, eyes closed and head bowed.

"Explain to me how you took care of the issue" he said, voice firm and demanding, golden eyes piercing through the brown ones beneath him.

"I simply exterminated the man, who was identified as Yasuo the Unforgiven, Eye of Twilight" she replied, fidgeting slightly.

"'Simply exterminated'? Is that really what you did, Fist of Shadow?" The glow in his eyes brightened in anger.

"Yes."

"Explain to me how you killed Yasuo."

Akali's face went pale. She slowly lifted her head so that she was almost eye level with Shen, hands slightly shaking.

"I stealthed and went behind him while he was off guard, and slit his throat. With all due respect Eye of Twilight, why are you asking me this?"

Shen's eyes lit up to a glow that Akali had never seen before. Frightened, she slowly took a step back. Shen followed accordingly, each dreaded footstep toward Akali making her heart race in fear.

"Never would I have thought that you were such a _coward_." Shen spat out with disgust. Akali's back was now against the wall, Shen only inches away from her. She gasped when he shortened the space even more.

"W-what are you talking about?!" she squeaked out in fear. Suddenly, two firm hands grabbed her wrists and pinned her against the wall.

"How _dare_ you lie to me, to my _face_!" he roared, his muffled breath hitting her face. "Who do you think you're trying to fool?! Aren't you aware of all the emotional training I went through to earn this title?! I had to watch my own father get tortured before my very eyes! What makes you think that I can't tell if you're telling such a _pathetic_ lie?!" Shen was breathing heavily now, slowly releasing his grip on Akali's hands.

"I-I-" Akali could barely speak, Shen's outburst like nothing she had seen before. "I'm sorry Shen! I was stupid!" she yelled, a light sob escaping her mouth. Shen slowly drew back, releasing her wrists. He was surprised that she had dropped the respectful mannerisms and called him by his true name. The once bright light in his eyes dimmed to their normal glow. Akali slowly slid down the wall and fell to her knees, tears dampening the mask below her eyes.

"The man he killed… Was someone that I held dear to me Shen" she said in between sobs. "Long before I joined the kinkou order, I was trained by that man. As a child, it was rare for any place to accept me since I was young, and well I'm a woman." She brought her hand to her face attempted to wipe the tears off her face. "And the one person who looked past my age, past my gender and saw me for the talents I held was that elder Shen. If it wasn't for him, I would never be where I am today…" she sniffed, wiping her eyes again and bringing her gaze back to Shen. "The moment those samurai told me that they had found Yasuo, the only thing that I could think about was making Yasuo suffer in the worst way possible… It was as if an entirely different entity consumed me in that very moment. I dont know why I was so violent… So determined to kill someone in my entire life. It scared me Shen, those emotions."

Shen slowly sunk down to Akali's level, placing his hands over his knees for support, resting his chin over his arms. He sighed, gently closing his eyes in deep thought. _These things she's describing… these emotions are too familiar_.

Suddenly, it hit him. The one name that stirred the exact same thoughts and emotions popped up.

_Zed_.

He slowly opened his eyes once more, once enraged eyes softening into a more caring gaze. "I'm sorry, Akali" he murmured. Akali's eyes widened: he addressed her by her true name as well. They were on the same level. "I… I guess I can say I was also out of line when I confronted you." He smiled ever so slightly under his mask. Akali's face gently lit up, her tense body finally relaxing.

"I want you to know that I understand how you are feeling… These emotions are the kind that seek justice… Revenge… These are the most dangerous types of feelings that will cloud your mind and take over your body without you even being aware."

"But I need you to hear me out, Akali." Akali nodded, and brought her gaze back to Shen's. "I need you to trust me when I say that Yasuo is not the one that killed him."

Akali's eyes turned into ones of confusion. How could it not be Yasuo?

"How is that when practically all the evidence is pointed against him, Shen?"

Shen sighed, slowly adjusting himself upon his feet once more. "As you were returning to the temple, Kennen and I were trying to find Yasuo's body in hopes that he was still alive. When I found him… My assumptions about him were only heightened. I did not see a murderer in those eyes. I saw someone who was suffering, someone who was wronged and framed." He took Akali's hand, and together they stood up.

"I managed to save his life Akali. He is currently staying in my room recovering. All I ask of you is to gather the courage to apologize to him whenever you can."

"It is the least I can do, after what I've done" she said, straightening her posture and bowing.

"Raise your head Akali."

A look of questioning washed over her face, however she complied.

"I no longer want to address you, or anyone else close to me with such mannerisms. I want…" he averted his gaze in the slightest "... A more friendly atmosphere in this temple. Please, if you need to talk to me about anything Akali, feel free."

"O-ok then Shen" she said, confused. However, she smiled. She's been wanting to return to the days before the Kinou Order where people actually had companships more than anything. "I'd really like that, thanks."

"No Akali, thank you."


	6. Chapter 6

Yasuo awoke from his slumber to the sound of rustling and footsteps entering the room. He initially opened his eyes slowly, but then upon realising who was at the door, his eyes shot open and he quickly pushed himself against the edge of the bed in fear.

"Yasuo, relax I'm not going to hurt you" said Akali in a calm, relaxed manner.

The samurai gently nodded at the words, eyeing the tray the ninja held that carried medical supplies. Relieved, he seeped back under the bed covers. He truly was exhausted and in immense pain.

Akali began to enter the room, setting the tray on the mahogany night stand that paired with the large bed. She was devoid of her usual attire, instead sporting a casual kimono and letting her long hair flow freely as opposed to her uptight ponytail. Most notably, her face mask was missing, leaving her face bare.

"I… Um" Akali muttered, unsure of how to go about her apology.

Yasuo let out an audible sigh, interrupting Akali's sentence. "Its fine Akali. Although you were probably the most violent, people reacting that way is nothing I'm not used to." He let out a light chuckle, and returned his gaze to Akali's. He was surprised to see that she was noticeably upset and ridden with guilt.

"No Yasuo, It's not ok. I've never made such a mistake in my entire life. I… Let my emotions get the best of me, and now you're in this conditions and it's all my fault. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you" uttered the somber ninja. Yasuo sighed at the words.

"Akali, it really is fine" the samurai started. "I'm sure that if it was me in your place, I would've acted similarly, anyone would've." He adjusted himself so that he was sitting against the bedframe, and pulled down the covers slightly so that his torso was exposed. Akali eyed it, scanning all the scars that adorned his body.

"You see all these scars? They all represent a story. Someone who's been upset with me, someone who has fought against me and my people, but mostly mistakes." He motioned toward the large gash from his sword in the middle of his chest. "Thanks to you, I'll always have a reminder that in the end, I am and always will be my biggest enemy" he paused, looking at the ninja before him whom was on the verge of tears. "And most importantly… That even when the whole world seems to be against you, to never give up" he whispered with a slight smile.

Handing him a vial of red liquid, Akali smiled, gently wiping off the tears from her face.

"You are definitely right, Yasuo." She gently pulled the side of her kimono to reveal a long scar that lied between her neck and her shoulder.

"This scar… Is kind of like the one I gave to you." She gently ran her fingers over it, smiling wrily. "Say Yasuo, did you know Elder Gorou?"

Of course he knew. He was the one who even got Yasuo started on his journey to mastering the ancient wind techniques. He nodded as he sipped at the potion.

"Well. He gave me this scar. I trained under him before I entered the Order." She pulled the cloth back over her shoulder, and sat herself on the edge of the bed next to the samurai. "You see, my mother was so devoted to me becoming the successor of the Fist of Shadow that she made sure I had the best training I possibly could. So I trained under him in secret." Sighing in defeat, she rested her face against her palms. "Every time we would spar… I could never win. And it got to the point where I just gave up. Just like you, Yasuo. So I started to stop putting the effort I used to before. I lost my determination; I felt hopeless. I felt like I would never be the successor."

"However, Elder Gorou took note of this, and the next time I saw him changed my life forever. Although Gorou's training was already ruthless… He amplified that by a multitude that day. His strikes were relentless, cutting-edge techniques that you would see only on the battlefield. I remember him warning me within his unyielding strikes: 'If you do not try Akali, not only will you be null of the title, but you will see your death.' And that day, when my life was on the line, there was no self-pitying. In fact, there was no emotion. Because when your life is on the line, nothing else matters. Your only goal is to survive."

"And only when I put my emotions aside, only then did I win. This prepared me for the ultimate end. As the Fist of Shadow… There is no emotion. Just a mission that you fulfil, and that is all. Your life no longer matters… The only thing that matters is balance, and maintaining it. That replaces your life." The ninja looked at Yasuo, and smiled. "But I'm sure you know what that's like already."

Yasuo nodded slowly in response: He knew all too well what she was describing. Before Yasuo became the Unforgiven, his only purpose in life was to defend Ionia. He was an emotionless killing machine when Noxus invaded. The urge to protect his country overpowered his logic, which ultimately let to his foolishness and ended in the biggest tragedy he had ever experienced. Only after that did he experience emotions… Only the bad ones. Guilt, confusion, anger… And of course failure. He sighed in disappointment. At least now he could move on and finally find the true killer now that he had a following.

"When I found you Yasuo… All these emotions overcame me. I wanted you dead of course. But not only dead, I wanted you to suffer in the worse way possible." Her smile quickly turned to a frown. "These feelings of revenge coursed through me like never before… But it was because Elder Gorou was someone so dear to me, it was the same as if Shen or Kennen were assassinated."

"But now that I know it wasn't you Yasuo, I...I don't know how I can apologize to you. I don't blame you if you won't forgive me." Saddened, she turned to the resting Samurai. "However, I will mend this. I will join you on your journey to finding the killer. Because you aren't the only one who wants revenge. So will you allow me to join you, Yasuo?"

Although surprised at the proposition, a smile crept up on the samurai's face. "Akali… Of course I forgive you. And I would be honored to have you assisting me. I'm honored that all of you have taken care of me thus far… And this just made everything so much better. Thank you." He gently bowed his head in respect.

Akali then stood up, picking up the tray from the nightstand. "Of course Yasuo. We will do our best to grant you a speedy recovery so we can continue our journey." And with that, she turned and made her way out the door, sliding it shut.

The potion was definitely starting to work on Yasuo, the headaches and achyness was drastically changing in the moment. He closed his eyes, and slipped under the covers once more.

Things just kept getting better and better.


	7. Chapter 7

"So, how did it go?"

Akali looked down, only to find an eager Kennen by her toes.

"Well… A lot better than I expected" she chuckled, scratching the back of her head.

"I told you it wouldn't be that bad!" Kennen smiled, his eyes turning into those resembling crescent moons. "He's honestly not the one that did it… There's just no way. Especially after meeting him in person…" he rambled.

"Yeah…" Akali replied, slightly disheartened. How could Yasuo forgive her so easily? However, considering the magnitude of hardships he's been through, forgiveness must come easy. It was amazing: only after seeing him once, only after speaking to him once made her change her mindset completely. Someone like him couldn't be the killer… Right?

Definitely not.

She was now certain. She's executed many before, and the only person who did not resist was Yasuo. Why would a person who's not only on the run, but possess such power not fight back? She knew he could take her down easily…

"Akali!" Kennen shouted, clearly annoyed. "Stop day dreaming already. Let's go eat" he grumbled.

The ninja gently shook her head back and forth, as if to rid herself of her own thoughts. "Haha… Sorry Kennen. Let's go." Kennen nodded, and they walked together to the dining area.

* * *

 

Deep, delicious aromas filled the air in the dining hall. The chefs were to prepare a fine meal for tonight to give a warm welcome to Yasuo. Shen leaned against one of the walls, breathing in the scent. He sighed a satisfied sigh, enjoying the smells that filled the air, and pleased that a great meal would be served. He gently pushed himself off the wall, and headed towards Yasuo's room.

As he approached, faint sobs and sniffles could be heard. What on earth? He picked up the pace and gently, yet forcefully opened the door. "Yasuo?!"

He stopped.

There laid a sleeping Yasuo, tears running down his cheeks. The window had opened, and wind was blowing left and right. Intrigued, Shen tiptoed his way to the bedside.

His lips were quivering, knuckles white grasping onto the bed sheets. His eyes were sealed shut, tears begging to escape. His breath was hot and heavy, his face a light flush of pink.

" _Yone…_ " He began. Shen moved a little closer, interested as to who this "Yone" character was.

" _Yone… Yone! … YONE! I'M SORRY YONE I'M SORRY!_ " he half shouted as tears flowed freely, tossing and turning in despair. The gusts of wind became stronger and stronger as he fought off his visions. A nightmare…

Shen slowly brought his hands towards Yasuo's shoulders, getting a hold of them to stop him from the tossing and turning. The samurai fought against it for a second, breathing heavily. However, after a few seconds he seemed to calm down, shaking slightly. Shen watched as his chest began to rise and fall a little slower as he began rubbing his shoulders in a calming manner. Suddenly, a somewhat maternal instinct came over him. He examined his face: Distraught and in despair. He raised an un-gloved thumb under his eyes, and began gently wiping the tears away. He then put the back of his hand against his forehead. _Seems like a fever…_ He decided he would give him some medicine later. He brought his attention to his hair, damp with sweat and sticking to his face. He pushed the strands back as best as he could, in a petting motion. This seemed to calm the distraught samurai quite well, and Shen did indeed notice. He repeated this motion a few times… and then a few more times. One minute passed… then two… then five. There Shen sat, trying his best to get Yasuo to sleep normally again. He leaned in a little closer and whispered "It's ok Yasuo… You're safe now… Its ok…"

Wait. _What the hell am I doing?!_ Shen panicked, and sprung off the bedside way faster than he needed to. He backed up slowly, only too look at Yasuo now sleeping peacefully, like a baby. He smiled internally, a warmth of satisfaction flowing through his veins. He quickly shook his head back and forth. _What the hell?!_

He finally realised, this is what he was trying to avoid his whole life.

"Emotions…" he whispered.

But why? This felt fine to him. Is that why it was dangerous?

He didn't understand whatsoever.

The confused ninja decided to ignore it for now, and walked toward the dresser in the other corner of the room. He opened one, only to reveal a beautiful dark blue and black yukata, hand woven with the finest materials in Ionia. He picked it up, and plucked a potion from his pocket alongside it. He set the things on the nightstand next to the sleeping samurai, and made his way out. But before he left, he turned back one last time to get one last look. He sighed.

_What are you doing to me Yasuo?_


	8. Chapter 8

Yasuo gently closed his eyes as Akali left the room and shut the door behind her. The room was dark, and the samurai was left to his own thoughts. He crawled under the covers until the top half of his face was covered, somewhat giving him a sense of security. He then let the exhaustion get the best of him as he drifted off into a deep slumber.

_"Yasuo?"_

_"Yasuo!"_

_The young samurai felt his shoulders being shaken, as if trying to be woken up._

_"Ugh… what?" he groaned, clearly annoyed. He awoke to see a face similar to his, only with lighter skin and darker hair. His face was one of seriousness and annoyance, his folded arms adding to the whole attitude._

_"You do this every time Yasuo. You know you should be a little bit more respectful towards the people that even brought you here in the first pla-"_

_"Yeah yeah I know, whatever. I'm getting up now."_

_"Right… And fix your hair, it looks… Odd" the young man sighed, pointing to his own hair. It was tied in a tight, lower ponytail. The jet black locks were perfectly in place, running halfway down his back. Yasuo grunted in response, trying to comb his fingers through his hair but failing miserably as his hair was tangled and matted._

_"Yeah whatever Yone, I get it; you're perfect and I should aspire to be like you blah blah blah" he uttered. Yone rolled his eyes at this._

_"You know I've never said that. Now hurry up." he muttered, handing him his uniform. Yasuo took it a little forcefully, smirking at Yone's response. The young man sighed, and made his way to the door. As much as he hated Yasuo's antics, it did add a little more light to his dull life. He sighed, turning around. "As the only person wielding the wind technique, you should present yourself better you know." Yone smiled a rare smile, and unfolded his arms. Yasuo looked at him questioningly._

_"Why are you so happy all of a sudden? You never act like this."_

_Yone brought his hand to the back of his neck, itching slightly. "I don't know Yasuo… It's just-" He paused, as if trying to find the right words to say. He then continued, his lost-in-thought expression turning into a smile again. "It's just that I'm really proud of you Yasuo… I'm really proud to be your brother- no, honored."_

_Yasuo was a little shocked; it was rare that Yone ever spoke unless he was scolding him (despite him being younger). But he felt pride and happiness run through his veins as those words were spoken._

_"Oh you" Yasuo chuckled, and shot himself out of bed toward Yone. He embraced him tightly and rubbed the top of his head roughly, messing up the top of it._

_"Yasuo! You jerk you ruined my hair-"_

_"Oh shut up. Moments like this are rare you know" he smiled, and soon enough the two brothers were laughing together. Once their laughing fit was over, motioned for Yone to sit down. He hesitated at first, but then sat down._

_"Here, let me fix this mess I made." Yasuo grabbed the horse hair brush from one of the wooden cabinets near the bed, and brushed the stray strands back into place. He then smoothed it over with his hands, and pushed Yone to the mirror._

_"Better?" the young samurai asked._

_"Much" he replied, smiling at his reflection. "Now you hurry up and get ready, I'll meet you in the dojo when you're done." And with that, Yone made his way out the door._

_All of a sudden, thick, black smoke entered the room. Yasuo couldn't move or speak, no matter how hard he tried. All the furniture surrounding him began to melt away, disappearing into the blackness. He struggled internally, scared and confused as to what was going on and why he couldn't fight it. He watched helplessly as more and more smoke surrounded, him until eventually his vision was completely blackened. The scenery then changed to an eerie one, the sky a mesh of reds and oranges, black clouds of smoke randomly appearing from various explosions around the temple Yasuo once trained in. It was obvious that this was war._

_As Yasuo was given his senses back, he took a quick look at his hands, scrunching them experimentally to see if he could move, then taking a look at his surroundings. He was at the front of a forest, scattered trees leading into more and more greenery. He then brought his attention to a particular willow tree that stood in front of him, and he froze. He screamed internally: he didn't want to live this moment again. But before he could continue his thoughts he was cut off by a familiar war cry coming from behind him._

_"Arghhhh!"_

_Yasuo ducked instinctively, grabbing the attacker's wrist and pinning him down to the ground. He examined the man beneath him, and immediately wished he hadn't. Yasuo stiffened._

_It was Yone._

_"Still sharp as ever I see" Yone growled, his eyes narrowing in anger. "I'd think that a murderer would be a little less acute with their senses after doing something so terrible."_

_"Yone I didn't-"_

_He was cut off by a kick to the stomach. As Yasuo flew backwards, his brother stood up, dusting off his pants and walking towards him slowly. Yasuo quickly stood up, raising his hands in defeat._

_"Don't do this Yone!" he yelled, looking him straight in the eyes._

_Yone's regularly light brown eyes gleamed with not only revenge, but an overwhelming sense of hurt._

_"I thought you were better than this Yasuo! Why… Why…" he yelled, his voice getting caught up as he tried to continue. Yasuo walked toward him, reaching his hand towards Yone's shoulder to comfort him like he always did._

_"NO!" Yone screamed, backing up at the intended contact. Yasuo's eyes widened._

_"I don't want the hands of a murderer on me!" he hollered, fingering the hilt of his sword. He began unsheathing it slowly._

_"I… I trusted you Yasuo… I looked up to you… I wanted to be like you! But now…" his voice cracked, as tears escaped his eyes. "But now I'm so ashamed… I'm so ashamed of you! What happened?!" he wailed. "What happened to the Yasuo I knew?!" He pulled out his sword faster than Yasuo anticipated, and charged at him. Yasuo quickly responded by grabbing his sword, but before he could, Yone swung his sword straight across Yasuo's face. Yasuo tried to avoid the sharp metal, but he was too late. The blade cut across the middle of his face, over his nose and across his cheeks. He winced, and sucked in a deep breath at the pain._

_That's when he knew this was serious._

_Yasuo quickly got a hold of his sword, avoiding all the attacks from Yone as he swung at him like a madman. Swing after swing, Yasuo evaded. No matter how hard Yone tried, he was no match for him. But that didn't stop him. Although he was becoming out of breath, he kept swinging, enraged that Yasuo wasn't fighting back._

_"Stop messing with me Yasuo! Fight!" he yelled, his voice headed and parted between breaths._

_"Yone you don't need to do this!" he screamed in return, dodging his attacks furiously. "I didn't do it! You have to believe me!" he wailed, tears threatening to leave his eyes._

_"Stop bullshitting me! He was killed by a wind technique, no one else can use that shit except you!" he roared, slashing particularly hard against Yasuo's waist._

_"Gah!" Yasuo screamed as the blade cut across him particularly deep. "Yone you have to believe me, I didn't do it! Why would I?! "_

_Yone ignored his pleas, continuing to hack away at Yasuo._

_"I'll only believe you if you kill me!" he screamed. "It's either you die for your sins, or I die trying to bring justice!"_

_Yasuo started sobbing between evasions, coming to the realization that Yone was never going to give this up. He had to kill him; it was the only way the real criminal would be brought to justice. Time seemed to slow down as Yasuo screamed in response, elbowing the arm that held the sword that Yone carried. He pinned him down, the force of his elbow breaking his arm as he hit the ground. Yone wailed in agony as he forcibly let go of his sword, watching it roll across the dirt away from him. He then looked up at a teary eyed Yasuo, his sword raised above his head._

_"I'm sorry Yone!" he wailed, sobbing heavily. "I'm sorry I have to do this!"_

_He cried out as he forced the sword down, headed towards Yone's chest. Yone looked at Yasuo, then let his eyes trail down the glistening silver sword. Despite the whole situation, Yone couldn't help but admire the sword: the beautiful details adorning it, how it was sharpened to perfection, and how the setting sun reflected off of it, giving the metal a beautiful golden glow. He took one last look around him, and closed his eyes in preparation as the sword inched its way closer and closer to him. He suddenly let out a wheezy gasp as the beautiful but deadly sword impaled him._

_"Yone!" Yasuo screamed, making his way to his brothers side._

_Yone sat there, withered gasps for air escaping him, his eyes wide as he made eye contact with Yasuo. The sword had most certainly punctured his lungs, making it almost impossible to breath. His gasps became more desperate as his life was slowly, but surely, escaping him. The dying man brought a shaking hand up towards Yasuo's face, feeling his cheek wet with flowing tears. His mouth then gaped open, as if trying to say something._

_"Yone speak to me!" he pleaded desperately, as tears poured out._

_"I guess-" he paused, gasping for air. "I guess it really wasn't you Yasuo…" he croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for doubting you Yasuo…" a lone tear escaped his eye. Yasuo was shaking at this point, a mixture of sadness and rage filling him. Yone noticed this, and tried his best to smile one last time as he grasped his cheek a little harder. "Make sure you find him Yasuo…" he whispered desperately. "Make my death meaningful…."_

_"I promise I will Yone, on the death of me!" he sobbed, grasping onto his arm._

_"Good…" he whispered, his eyes slowly shutting. "I will always be proud of you… Yasuo."_

_And with that, his eyes shut, his mouth wide open._

_He was gone._

_"Yone…"_

_"Yone!" Yasuo yelled, crying so much that he thought he was going to run out of tears._

_"YONE!" He screamed in agony, clutching his limp, cold arm as if it were all he had left._

_He sobbed nonstop, uncontrollable rage filled him. He vowed he would find who did this, find the person that ruined his life._

_All of a sudden, Yone's body, alongside the rest of the scene, started to dissipate. In it's place, a pure white state of limbo made its way. Yasuo felt himself floating in nothingness, a calming warmth enveloping the distraught samurai. He felt himself relaxing to the sensation, soaking up the aura that surrounded him. He then heard a familiar monotone voice calling out to him._

_"Yasuo?!"_

_Yasuo looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but he couldn't. He was then surprised by two very real, very warm hands against his shoulders, grasping them in a comforting manner. He then looked up, only to see two alluring, glowing golden eyes looking back at him._

_"Shen…" he whispered, admiring the the face in front of him. Although most of it was covered, there was a caring, concerned aura emanating from the ninja. He watched as Shen examined him carefully, bringing his hand toward the samurai's forehead. He shut his eyes to the touch, relishing in the warmth of his hand. Shen shut his eyes as he waited for a while, seeming to be in thought as to what could be wrong. He then opened his eyes, nodding to himself in understanding. Shen then glanced at his forehead, and moved his hand from his forehead toward his hairline. He started petting him gently, pushing the stray strands of hair back in place._

_"Shen… " Yasuo repeated gently, however it was clear that Shen couldn't hear him, so he shut his eyes once more and melted to the touch of his hands. Minutes passed, however it felt like hours, and Yasuo didn't want it to end. He opened his eyes once more, only to look at the ninja's eyes again. Almost on queue, the ninja began to speak:_

_"It's ok Yasuo… You're safe now… It's ok…"_

_And with that, Shen began to slowly fade away, the comforting hand motions with him. Yasuo looked around, desperate for him not to leave. His vision began to fade to blackness once more._

_"Shen, wait! Shen!" he plead desperately. But to no avail._

Yasuo woke up abruptly, slightly out of breath looking for Shen. He then realized that it was all just a dream, and rubbed his eyes. "What the heck…" he whispered, in shock of how real that dream was, how real all the sensations were. He sighed, slightly disappointed. He secretly wished it was real, but that was silly.

Wait a minute. _Dinner!_ He panicked internally, realising he probably woke up late. Akali had informed him to be at the dining area by six o'clock sharp, and the clock clearly showed that it was seven thirty. He quickly threw himself out of bed and grabbed the yukata that had been placed on his nightstand, and downed the potion alongside it.

Before he walked out the door, he took a quick look at himself in the mirror. He expected his hair to be messed up and his face to be soiled with tears… But none of that was there.

_Was it real?_ He wondered, scratching his head. _Probably not._ He concluded, noting how well the dark blue yukata complimented him. Good choice indeed.

He made his way out of the room, toward the dining hall. In the corner of the corridor was a sneaky Kennen, who had watched the whole ordeal take place. He smiled. Maybe after all these years, maybe just maybe Shen would embrace his emotions. He liked where this was going. Satisfied, he followed Yasuo to the dining hall, excited as to what would happen in the future.


	9. Chapter 9

Shen sat silently at the large, knee high dining table in a criss cross position. He laid his hands among his knees, staring intently at his untouched food. Everyone else had eaten already; he was to wait for Yasuo. He pondered at the thought of going back to his room to check up on him, but he was too scared of his body taking control of him once more. So he remained there, his eyes moving back and forth between him and Yasuo's dishes. He propped his arm up against his knee and leaned his face into his hand, sighing as he did so. _At this rate the food is going to go cold…_

The ninja sat there, voiceless as he thought about the events that occurred prior. How the simple human touch could calm someone down so fast… He wondered what he was dreaming about that made him so afraid, so sad… He wanted to ask but he knew he couldn't.

And most of all, he wanted to know who Yone was.

He wasn't sure why it irked him so much. Maybe it was because Yone could be the one that has caused him this much pain? But then again, why would be be shouting apologies? He was stumped, he has not a clue as to who it could be. He let out a sigh of defeat, his eyes dimming at the same time. Just as he was about to continue his thoughts, he heard footsteps approaching. He shook his head vigorously to rid himself of his daydream, and returned to his original position.

"Shen…"

Shen looked up in response to his name, and at that moment he was so glad he had a mask on because his mouth slowly started to drop. There stood Yasuo, wearing the yukata he left for him. He knew that the yukata was of the finest quality, and that it was beautiful as it is, but when Yasuo wore it he was at a loss of words. The dark blue complimented his light, golden skin, and the way his dark chocolate locks were tied up tightly, only to lead past the hair tie and flow freely down his back. It was as if it was made just for him.

Yasuo was a bit taken aback from the lack of response, and smirked a little bit. Despite the mask covering his face, he could tell that he was being somewhat admired. He smiled, his face lightening up. "Shen, I'm so sorry I came so late… I had a bit of a rough night. Please forgive me" he said with a bow.

"It's completely fine" Shen responded with his usual monotone. "Come eat, you're probably starving." He then patted the small cushion beside him, motioning for Yasuo to sit down. He happily obliged, making his way to the small seat with swift steps. He fixated himself into the same criss cross position Shen was in.

"Wow… This looks really good!" Yasuo mused, eyeing the items on the plate. The food looked luxurious; there was some sort of fish he'd never seen before, paired with white asparagus and various other vegetables slathered in some sort of sauce. Of course, there was plain white rice and a small pot of tea readily available. But then he noticed something: There were two plates.

"Wait, Shen…" he said, looking at him wide eyed. "Did you not eat? Were you waiting for me?" he said, saddened.

Shen looked back at him, surprised he was so worried about such a petty thing. "I did" he replied, patting his shoulder briefly."It's fine, don't worry about it" he said, trying to sound as comforting as possible. To his relief, it seemed to work, as Yasuo smiled at the words. He wanted to comfort him more: he liked the way he smiled.

"Thanks… For waiting for me, I appreciate it" he said, grinning. Yasuo gently placed a finger against the fish, testing to see if it was cold. To his dismay, it was. He frowned, feeling bad for making Shen wait so long. He stood up, grabbing his and Shen's plate. Shen looked at him questioningly, and he responded. "It'd kinda cold… Let me go heat this up, it's the least I could do"

Yasuo lit up at the sight of Shen smiling slightly under his mask. He shook his head lightly. "Very well then. Thanks, Yasuo."

"Of course!"

Shen watched him walk away, disappearing into the kitchen. As he waited, he returned to his prior thoughts. Should he ask him about Yone? He was concerned after all. However, that would definitely give away the fact that he was in his room… He sighed. He really wanted to know who he was. Before he could continue thinking, Yasuo returned to the room, steaming and fragrant food in hand. The samurai sat down, placing the dishes in their respective places.

"Shall we?" Yasuo questioned.

"Yes we shall."

The two began eating their meals. Yasuo took the first bite, the morsel sliding down his throat smoothly. He tried his best to keep his composure, but the meal was so incredibly delicious that he just couldn't help himself. After he swallowed, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes, letting out a long mmm. He looked at Shen, who was a little confused.

"Shen, this is amazing! I don't think I've ever had such amazing food in my entire life!" he beamed, stuffing more food into his mouth. Shen chuckled at this. He didn't mind the behavior; he understood that Yasuo must've been starving. "I'm glad you're enjoying it."

"No, really Shen, do you eat this kind of food every day? You're so lucky" he said in between bites. "I've been living off scraps for… Gosh I don't even know how long!" he continued eating, clearly grateful for having such an amazing meal. Shen's eyes saddened a bit. Yasuo looked over, noticing the slight change in attitude. He stopped eating for a moment to speak. "Shen, is there something wrong?

"Not really" he replied. "It's just that, I'm a bit disappointed I wasn't able to find you sooner. Your life must've been really hard before this."

"Ahh, It's no big deal, really. I'm just glad that I'm here now… I feel really safe and taken care of already. Don't feel bad at all, if anything I should for burdening you" he murmured.

Shen chuckled slightly.

"It seems we're both a little too apologetic"

"Guess so" Yasuo replied with his own chuckle. They then began eating in silence once more. Yasuo devoured his meal in a few minutes, as Shen was taking his time consuming his. Yasuo leaned an elbow against the table, watching Shen eat. He knew that Shen was a very powerful person indeed; the Eye of Twilight was such a noble title. He couldn't believe he was in the presence of him, just being near him brought him some sort of calmness. The samurai wondered if that was normal; or maybe it was just something that came with being the Eye of Twilight. He wanted to know more about him, how he was able to make him feel so safe…

And how he healed him that one day.

He knew that the Eye of Twilight was a protector, but not a healer. Although he wasn't one hundred percent sure as he'd only heard rumors of him, but never seen him in action. All this thinking made him particularly curious, so he decided on asking him. He scooted a little closer to Shen, which made him turn around.

"Say Shen… Where did you learn to heal? I know a little about your abilities… Well, at least I've heard rumors about them, but I never knew you were able to heal!"

Shen's eyes widened a little bit, a bit surprised at how observant Yasuo was. But then they shrunk into a bit of a sadness. He looked down, scratching the back of his neck a little.

"Well, I wasn't always able to heal" he replied, a tinge of sorrow lacing his voice.

Yasuo quickly regretted asking this, as it was clearly visible he struck a chord in Shen. "I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to-"

"No no, it's fine" Shen interrupted. Yasuo sighed, and silenced himself as he allowed Shen to continue.

"I don't know how observant you've been, but if you haven't already been able to tell this temple is relatively new and in a very, very secluded area. Years ago, the original temple of the Kinkou Order had been destroyed." He frowned, looking down in sadness.

"Many people don't know the story, although there are rumors floating around about what happened. I'd like to tell you what really happened, Yasuo."

"The man whom I thought was my brother, Zed, and I grew up under the same master, my Father. As we grew, we appeared to be equally matched skill wise. Zed yearned to gain the attention and favor of my father, but he never could. All of our matched ended in a draw, and naturally since I am his son I always was in favor. This frustrated Zed, so he ventured off into the sealed area of the temple. In that area was a box that had held the ancient, forbidden shadows hostage for two hundred years. Although Zed knew he shouldn't open it, he did…"

Shen sighed in dismay, memories beginning to flood his head. He placed his hands on either side of his face, and focused on the floor in front of him. Yasuo's heart was saddened by the sight before him; seeing Shen sad was something new, and something he didn't want to see again. The samurai hesitantly placed an arm on Shen's shoulder, like he used to with Yone. It was welcomed, and Shen decided to continue.

"As he opened the box, the shadows instantly overtook his mind, revealing ancient techniques that have been hidden before. Now that he had these techniques on his side, challenged me to a match soon after. He defeated me with ease."

"Although Zed was expecting praise and recognition from my father, he was instantly able to tell that Zed had used forbidden techniques, and out of disappointment and anger he banished him from the temple. This was a terrifying mistake my father made…"

Yasuo's arm was now around Shen, gently rubbing his shoulder back and forth. Shen subconsciously leaned back into the touch, comforted by it. He continued.

"After many years, Zed returned to the temple. My father somehow knew that Zed would be coming back, and he anticipated his return. What he didn't know was that throughout all those years Zed's bitterness had turned into hatred, seeking revenge. Not only revenge, but to take the box and reap its powers completely. Upon his arrival, my father welcomed him, asking for his forgiveness for failing him as a master and dooming him to the shadows. He asked for Zed to enter the temple and destroy the box... "

"But upon return, he held my father's decapitated head before me, and threw it at my feet…"

Shen shut his eyes, hurt and sadness flooding over him.

"He then ordered his army to slaughter all of my father's students, and seize the box. It was a bloodbath; we were outnumbered, and they were evidently stronger than us. I tried my best to save as many people as I could… but I couldn't save them all Yasuo..." he was now whispering, ashamed of the words he was allowing out of his mouth. Yasuo wasn't sure what came over him, but he pulled the somber ninja toward him into an embrace. Shen didn't move at first; he was a little surprised at the action. However, after a few seconds he eased into it. The two just stayed there like that for a few minutes, Shen enjoying the foreign warmth flooding through him. He hadn't been embraced like this since he was maybe a child, and he wasn't complaining. He instantly felt better, the memories from before vanishing. He closed his eyes, listening to the steady breathing of the samurai. He wanted to stay like this forever.

After a few more minutes of silence, Yasuo finally spoke up. "I'm… I'm really sorry I asked about this Shen…" he whispered gently. "But… You amaze me. You overcame everything and rebuilt the entire Kinkou Order…"

Shen sighed gently. "Yeah… I did" he murmured. "And if I was able to do so… I think you can too, Yasuo."

Shen watched as Yasuo softly shut his eyes, smiling against Shen's shoulder.

"Yeah… Because of you."


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! A little bit of a late update, but I think its a wait worthwhile (:
> 
> Enjoy this chapter... Exciting things happen!
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment, they really help me keep going. Anyways... Enjoy~

_Because of you._

The words refused to leave Shen's head. Every time they ran through his mind, so did the remnants of the night before. Warmth flowed through him freely, and he kept wishing that could've stayed in his arms just a little longer. But he knew it was wrong, he knew these feelings were wrong.

These feelings would disrupt the balance within him.

At least, that's what he thought.

These feelings were foreign to him: threatening. Sure, he's experienced many emotions before, but he learned to control them throughout his training to be the Eye of Twilight. However, he could never be prepared for something like this. What was he supposed to do when feelings of, dare he say it, _attraction_ came about? He didn't want to believe it, but there was no way he could _deny_ it. The way his heart skipped a beat when he looked at him, how his entire demeanor changed around him, how that damn smile of his made him wave the white flag…

He couldn't understand why. Why Yasuo? What was it about him that made him feel this way? The ninja sat in silence, looking up at the ceiling from his bed. He sighed in defeat, gently turning to the side to look at the clock. Exactly five o'clock AM, perfect. He swiftly hopped out of bed, and headed toward the balcony to meditate as he usually did. However, once he opened the door, he could tell something was amiss. He stood still, trying to figure out what it was. Scratching his head in confusion, he began walking toward the end of the balcony, only to have his heart jump.

It was Yasuo. There he was, meditating not on, but _above_ the grass. Gentle gusts of wind circled him, lifting the young man off the ground. His hands were against one another, lifted toward his face as if he were praying. His eyes were sealed shut in concentration, his legs folded in a criss cross position. The samurai's hair surrounded him wildly, following the motions of the wind. He murmured incoherently, most likely a dialect of ancient Ionian that Shen could not understand. Despite this the ninja watched in awe. Although he had heard of the ancient wind technique, he had never seen it in action.

And he only wanted to watch him more.

As minutes passed, Shen was practically leaning over the balcony, watching in anticipation of Yasuo's every move. Yasuo intrigued him, his powers were unique and beautiful and he couldn't get himself to look away. That is, until Yasuo stopped his meditation. The flow of wind settled, and Yasuo's feet gradually descended toward the grass. He gently finger combed his hair behind his back, and then stretched his arms upward. He sighed audibly, and Shen jumped a bit.

"You know, for a ninja you're pretty obvious" Yasuo taunted with a small laugh.

Shen felt his face getting hot with embarrassment. _He knew I was here the entire time?!_ He groaned in defeat, folding his arms behind his head. Yasuo looked up at him, and flashed him a wide grin.

"Guess I am" Shen remarked. Yasuo laughed at this.

"Why don't you come join me? Watching is boring, right?"

_It's not boring to me_ Shen told himself. However, he simply nodded, and catapulted himself off the balcony. He dashed toward Yasuo's location, and landed gently on his feet. Yasuo's eyes widened, a little scared that he was going to free-fall of the balcony, but sighed in relief to see Shen in one piece. Shen chuckled at this.

"So…" Yasuo started, his arms folded against his chest. "What exactly did you find so interesting about me meditating?"

Shen maintained eye contact, however he was finding it increasingly hard to as Yasuo pried for answers. "Well… It's just that I've never seen the wind technique in person and…"

Yasuo's eyes raised quizzically at this; why did it matter? It was just the wind technique. Yeah, maybe he was the only one who had _mastered_ it but it wasn't anything special.

Or was it?

Shen sighed, continuing his speech. "I've seen many ancient forms of power, Yasuo, however…"

"The wind technique… It just seems to be meant for you." Yasuo watched as Shen's eyes dimmed slightly at his words. The samurai watched looked at him with gentle eyes, smiling shyly.

"You think so?"

"Yes… You make it beautiful."

Yasuo froze, his cheeks splashed with a light pink. The two were surprised at the words: Yasuo wasn't expecting it, and neither was Shen. The ninja's eyes darted away from Yasuo's, partially to save himself from embarrassment, and to stop himself from looking at his blushing face. Yasuo noticed this, and smiled gently once more.

"Thanks, Shen" he whispered, trying not to make him uncomfortable. Shen nodded.

"Do you…" Yasuo started, looking at the ninja with unsure eyes. Shen returned his eyes to the samurai's somewhat eager to see what he had to say. "Do you want to see more?"

Shen's eyes widened in excitement. "Yes! I mean…Yes" he said a little too quickly. Yasuo laughed at his excitement and took a few steps back, hands fingering the hilt of his sword.

"Shall we spar?"

Shen looked at Yasuo's sword, then to him. Although he hated to admit it, he was genuinely excited. The ninja hadn't sparred in ages, and it brought back memories of the days he trained under his father. A small, hidden smile traced his lips. He then took a few steps back so that there was ample space between the two, and he bowed. Yasuo did likewise, and the battle began.

Shen took the first move, lunging toward him and slashing his katanas. However, Yasuo was sharp. The samurai quickly blocked the katanas in one swift slash, and pushed Shen away. Shen fell to the ground, and quickly used his arms to push himself back onto his feet. He was about to dash toward him again, until he was interrupted by a mini tornado about his size gust toward him. _Swift._

He quickly dashed in the opposite direction. Yasuo nodded at this. Shen was sharp indeed, his reactions perfect. _He's sharp… But is he sharp enough?_ Yasuo grinned. While Shen was distracted, he quickly dashed toward the ninja, the wind speeding him up and helping him glide across the ground. Once he reached Shen, he twirled his body around in a three-sixty motion, his sword following. Shen quickly shielded himself, avoiding the sharp blade. However, he couldn't help but notice how graceful Yasuo was with his motions. He was deadly… Yet graceful at the same time.

His heart skipped a beat.

Yasuo dashed away from him, and Shen followed. Shen took the opportunity to throw one of his katanas at him. He did, but gasped under his breath as Yasuo quickly reacted, throwing out a wall of wind and deflecting the katana. He watched as the weapon was blown away, too far out for him to retrieve it. _Shit._ Yasuo smiled.

Left with only one katana, he continued to fight, his breath getting heavy. To his defense, Yasuo was visibly tired as well, sweat was lacing his forehead and dripping onto the ground. They continued dashing to and from each other, trying to get the other to slip up. They were both equally skilled, however, Shen was starting to falter. He was focusing more on Yasuo's movements, the grace of them entrancing him. The way he fought was unlike that of anyone else, not rugged and rough, but rather smooth and graceful. It was as if he was dancing with the wind by his side.

He truly was beautiful.

Although he only went out of focus for half a second, Yasuo seized that opportunity and dashed straight toward him, launching another tornado his way. Shen didn't have time to react, and was immediately knocked up into the air. Time seemed to slow down as Yasuo flew up into the air beside him, striking him once, twice, then three times. Every one of them graceful as ever. Before he knew it, he was pinned to the ground, Yasuo's sword inches from his face. He looked up at it, his eyes tracing the beautifully engraved patterns resembling gusts of wind. _Fitting._

Yasuo looked down at the ninja. He was in bad shape; his eyes half lidded in tiredness, his breath heavy. Then again, Yasuo was in similar condition, trying his best to catch his breath. He tossed his sword to the side, and smiled toward Shen.

"Check-" he muttered in between breaths. "Mate"

Shen chuckled at this, looking deep into Yasuo's eyes. "I accept defeat."

Yasuo grinned triumphantly, placing his hands on either side of the ninja for balance. His shoulders rose up and down, his eyes shut trying to regain his composure. Shen did the same, the two trying their best to neutralize their breathing. Once they did, Yasuo's eyes fluttered open, hovering over the ninja.

"You know… You really are one with the wind, Yasuo" Shen whispered, looking up at the samurai. He watched as his face turned a little more pink, and it clearly wasn't because of exhaustion. Shen smiled gently under his mask. "The way you fight… It's beautiful" he whispered, his eyes daring to look away. Yasuo's face was red now, his heart fluttering at the words.

Yasuo was suddenly aware of the compromising position they were in. He felt heat rushing to his face, looking at the ninja below him. He looked away for a second, his heart taunting him as it beat so fast it seemed it would jump out of his chest. He slowly brought his hands off the ground, hesitantly placing them onto Shen's chest. Shen quickly brought his eyes back to the samurai above him, however he relaxed. He felt heat rising to his face as Yasuo slowly brought his face towards Shens. The ninja swallowed silently in what he thought was anticipation, but he wasn't sure. Their faces were now inches apart, their hearts both racing. Shen looked up to see Yasuo dazed, smiling gently at him.

"Thank you…" Yasuo whispered. His hand was now on Shen's masked cheek. That single touch sent sparks flying throughout the ninja. He gasped internally; this was all new to him.

But It didn't mean it wasn't exciting.

The two sat there in that position for what seemed like hours, yet it was only seconds. Yasuo finally moved his hands toward the end of the ninja's mask, eyes heavy and half lidded. Shen froze: he didn't want him to take off his mask. However, he couldn't stop him, his body wouldn't let him. Yasuo could see his discomfort, so he hesitantly began to lift the fabric above his face, only so that it was right under his nose. He stopped there, his eyes tracing his features. His lips were now exposed, gently parted to allow himself steady breathing. Shen sighed internally, thankful that he didn't take the entire thing off. He looked up toward Yasuo, the glow in his eyes dimming slightly, his heavy lidded eyes mimicking Yasuos. The samurai gently brought his hand toward the lower half of Shen's face, gently tracing his thumb over his lips. Shen shut his eyes gently to the touch, sparks exploding in his body. He didn't know how this worked, or what to do. But he knew he felt safe, he felt alright, he felt _good._

"Yasuo…" Shen whispered so quietly, so much so that it was almost a whimper.

Although prior to this Yasuo was having an internal battle as to whether or not to keep going, this threw him over the edge. He cupped his hand around the ninja's cheek, and leaned in close. His eyes shut gently as his lips met with Shen's.

Shen stayed there frozen at first, not knowing what to do with all the heat and emotions rushing to him at contact, however something in him clicked. He closed his eyes, tilting his head gently and returning the kiss. Shen found himself bringing his hands up around Yasuo's back, pulling him closer toward himself. Yasuo softly groaned at the action, and brought his hands behind Shen's head in order to deepen the kiss. Shen sighed, the sparks and the heat becoming unbearable. He wanted more, and Yasuo did too.

Yasuo gently prodded his tongue against Shen's, begging for entrance. Shen obliged, and sighed gently as Yasuo's tongue began exploring his mouth. Shen did the same to Yasuo, and relished in the light whimper it elicited. He wanted more of that, he wanted to hear more of him. He brought his hands to the back of Yasuo's head, pulling him even closer and deepening the kiss even more. He gently began running his fingers through Yasuo's hair, surprised at how soft it was. Yasuo tried his best to stifle a moan. Shen loved this, every noise he made made his body beg for more…

That was until Yasuo brought his hand toward his mask again.

Shen was quickly put out of his trance, and ended the kiss abruptly. He frantically pulled the samurai's hand away from his mask and he pulled it back down, covering his mouth once more. Yasuo looked down at him in confusion, but quickly realized why he ended it. The damn mask… he cursed himself. He wanted to just rip it off, but he should've known better. He knew ninja's liked to keep those things on. Yasuo sighed sadly, his eyes darting to the ground beneath him.

"I- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"It's fine" Shen replied, still trying to wrap his head around what just happened. Yasuo gently pulled himself away from Shen and stood up. His eyes saddened, his mouth a slight frown. Shen felt a pang in his heart; he caused this. He made him sad. Just as he was about to speak, Yasuo began to do the talking.

"No, I- I should've known better. I'm really sorry, I shouldn't have done any of this" He muttered sadly. Yasuo started walking away, however Shen quickly stood up and followed him, grabbing his shoulders. Yasuo was slightly startled, but he relaxed slightly in Shen's grip. Shen turned him around so that he'd face him, and was surprised to see his eyes slightly glossy, tears begging to escape. His heart felt as if it'd shatter into a million pieces.

"Yasuo, listen to me" he said urgently. "You don't need to apologize, I was just… I can't have my mask off, that's all" he whispered.

Yasuo didn't buy any of it, and guilt ran through him. He simply nodded, and turned toward the temple. "I… I'm sorry Shen" he muttered, despite him asking not to apologize. He gently pushed Shen away, and headed toward the entrance.

Shen just stood there, watching him walk away. He sighed, and looked toward the ground.

What on earth just happened?


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Hope you guys had a great holiday. Sorry for the wait, but here we are with a new chapter.
> 
> We're slowly approaching the end of this story ): But, I really hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Don't forget to leave a comment if you can. Enjoy~!

Yasuo made his way back into the temple, not looking back once. His heart was heavy with guilt: how could he let himself get carried away like that? Moreover, how could he even do something like that? He sighed, placing his head between his hands. He was ashamed of himself, however, he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed it.

He wondered if Shen did too.

Suddenly, memories of the prior events flooded through him. From the position they were in, to Shen's facial expressions, to the way he ran his fingers through his hair…

He violently shook his head, trying desperately to rid himself of his thoughts. This was wrong, this was so wrong. How could he do such a thing when Shen gave him food, shelter, and saved his life?! He was becoming selfish, letting his feelings get the best of him in all the wrong times. He didn't want to ruin this, he didn't want to ruin yet _another_ thing in his life. The young samurai was conflicted, he was hurt, and he was desperate to make things right… But he didn't know how. He didn't know what to do.

He gently gasped as a tear escaped his eye.

_What, now I'm fucking crying over this?!_ He frowned. It'd been quite a few years since he'd had any emotional troubles… Let alone a relationship of any kind. Over the years Yasuo had forgotten what it was like to have feelings for someone, however, he was certain that this was different. Shen was much different from the others. First thing being that he was a man.

Although Yasuo had been with women before, falling for a man was something new. He didn't know why or how it happened, but Shen brought out feelings within him he never knew he had. The way Shen was able to calm him down in an instant, the fact that he took the time to understand him and learn more about him. It was all things he adored and wanted more of. And if someone was able to make him feel this way… Gender didn't matter whatsoever.

Yasuo sighed in defeat, lost in his thoughts. He collapsed on to his bed, his internal battle draining his energy. He glanced out the window, watching as the morning sun began transitioning into noon. _Maybe if I sleep this off, i'll be able to contain my thoughts._ Yasuo was tired after all, so he made up his mind. He wiggled under the covers, and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 

Shen sat quietly outside the temple, right where Yasuo left him. He was still in shock as to what happened. The ninja placed his hands on either side of his face as a million emotions flooded through him. Was he upset? Was he happy? Was he disrupting the balance within him?

Was he in love?

He collapsed onto the green grass, lying on his back and looking up at the clear sky in deep thought. He was so confused: how exactly _did_ he feel? When it came to things such as attraction and relationships, Shen was the epitome of inexperienced. The ninja spent his entire life training to be the Eye of Twilight; he didn't have _time_ for these kind of things. However, now that he was the Eye of Twilight, and that he was no longer training, he had relatively more freedom compared to the past. And with that freedom, things such as relationships became a possibility. But how did he go about them? In this rare occasion, he needed guidance. But who did he ask? He pondered at the thought for a second, and an obvious name popped up into his head. _Kennen_.

Just as he was about to get up to find the yordle, he couldn't deny that he was surprised to see him standing over him. Kennen stood there scratching his head, looking down at Shen questioningly. Shen quickly adjusted himself so that he was sitting down with his knees hugged toward him, and Kennen joined him on the ground.

"Kennen, I was just about to look for you-"

"I know. I saw everything" the yordle interrupted. Shen's eyes widened in embarrassment, and quickly looked away from the yordle. Kennen was quick to follow up.

"I- I'm sorry! I was looking for you since you weren't back in the temple at your usual time, and when I found you… well…." he whispered in fear of Shen getting angry. Shen sighed.

"No… It's fine. I guess it makes things easier for me to explain" Shen mumbled. "I.. I don't know how it happened Kennen, it all happened so _fast_. I just don't know if I did the wrong thing-"

"What makes you think it was wrong Shen?" Kennen countered, looking at him questioningly. Shen was quick to answer.

"Well… I don't know if being romantically involved with someone is exactly safe for my own well being. Especially as the Eye of Twilight, if my balance is thrown off how am I going to continue on protecting my people?" Kennen audibly sighed, and rolled his eyes. Shen raised an eyebrow.

"Shen, you can't be serious. How are you going to teach balance when _you_ aren't even balanced?!" Shen's eyes widened in surprise at his words.

"What do you mean I'm not balanced? I feel perfectly balanced Kennen-"

"But are you, Shen? Because the last time I checked the only thing that's throwing off your balance is loneliness." Kennen's words struck Shen like a bag of bricks; was he lonely? But before he could continue, he felt a paw on his shoulder. He looked up at Kennen, who was now staring off into the distance.

"Shen… Before we lost all those people in the Kinkou Order, you had people who kept you balanced. You had your father, and Zed. They kept you balanced, they kept you company." Kennen's face saddened as he looked toward the ground. "And when you lost those people, you lost that balance within you Shen… You were never the same. You shut us all out, no matter how much we tried to befriend you Shen. You became cold, you became emotionless. And even though I know being the Eye of Twilight means you must maintain balance… But it doesn't mean that you become an emotionless robot, Shen. It doesn't mean you stop being human." He whispered.

Shen nodded slowly as realization hit him: Kennen was right. He was beyond right, he was spot on. Although he refused to acknowledge it, he always felt like there was something missing within him, as if there was a void within him that needed to be filled. And now it made sense; he was missing companionship, he was missing _love_. Kennen smiled softly and nodded back; he knew that Shen understood now.

"Now…" Kennen continued. "Ever since Yasuo came into your life Shen… Things have changed. That emotion that you were missing is slowly coming back to you. That companionship you've needed and yearned for over the years is now here, and it's come in a form that you're afraid of Shen. But please, don't be afraid of it. Don't be afraid of losing the balance within you because trust me, this will only make you _more_ balanced." Kennen smiled widely as he continued.

"Shen, have you ever heard of love at first sight?"

Shen shifted uncomfortably; of course he had. And now that Kennen had enlightened him on his inner conflicts, he _knew_ that he'd experienced it. He knew that the moment he laid eyes on Yasuo, there was an evident, undeniable connection between them. His heartbeat heightened as he thought about the Samurai, from him sleeping peacefully, to him on top of him, kissing him. Kennen couldn't see it, but Shen could feel a blush creeping over him. Kennen laughed softly, rubbing Shen's shoulder.

"I'm glad that now you realize Shen. Don't be afraid of Yasuo. Don't be afraid of love."

With those words, Kennen stood up, and began to walk away. But before Kennen could walk any further, Shen stood up and pulled him into a friendly embrace. Kennen was surprised at first, but laughed quietly and hugged Shen back.

"Thank you so much Kennen… I can't thank you enough for opening my eyes to this… You've really helped me in ways you can't imagine."

Kennen laughed at this, and smiled widely. "Don't mention it Shen. I'm glad we had this talk." He gently pulled himself away from Shen. "Let's get back inside now, shall we? It's getting a bit dark."

"Yeah, let's go." Shen replied. The two made their way toward the temple.

"Oh and Kennen?"

"Yeah Shen?"

"I promise I'll try and be more friendly." He smiled.

Kennen grinned at this, tugging at Shen's arm.

"You'd better keep that promise."

"I will." Shen laughed as he opened the door, letting Kennen inside and closing it behind them.

_I promise I will._

* * *

 

Shen made his way up the long staircase within the temple that led to his room. It was quiet in the temple; everyone had retreated to their respect rooms, and Shen was about to as well. However, the Ninja was surprised to hear muffled sobs and screams of agony on his way up. His heart sank when he realised who it was.

_Yasuo._

Shen instantly quickened his pace up the long stairs, darting toward Yasuo's room. He quickly opened the door only to find Yasuo mid-nightmare in terrible shape. Things were knocked off of various surfaces, drawers were opened forcefully, clothing sprawled out over the floor. Wind gusted violently through the open window, as if it too was experiencing the nightmare.

"YONE!" Yasuo screamed, his hands clutching the sheets, knuckles white.

"YONE! I'M SO SORRY YONE PLEASE!" He cried out desperately, tears streaming down his face. Shen's heart broke as he watched Yasuo in pain. He was instantly by the samurai's side, shaking him violently as he tried to wake him up.

"Yasuo! Wake up, it's ok, wake up!" Shen whispered urgently. He continued shaking the distraught samurai until his eyes shot open, looking straight at Shen.

"Shen?" Yasuo croaked, choking on his words. His eyes were full of tears, his face was pale in fear of the prior visions he experienced. Shen wordlessly pulled him into a tight embrace. Yasuo returned it, holding onto the ninja desperately as light sobs escaped him. Shen pulled him even closer toward himself, desperately trying to get him to calm down. "Yasuo… it's ok… I'm here…" Shen whispered softly, rubbing his back in a comforting manner. Yasuo nodded against Shens chest, calming down slightly. The two sat there for a while, relishing in each other's presence and warmth. The ninja slowly brought one of his hands atop Yasuo's head, stroking his fingers through his hair gently. Shen tried to contain himself as he felt Yasuo shiver against him, his grip on him getting tighter.

"Yasuo… Who is Yone?" Shen whispered.

Shen felt Yasuo sobbing gently against him, his yukata becoming damp with his tears.

"Yone…" He whispered in between sobs. He buried his face against Shen's chest, hiding himself from him. "Yone was my brother" he barely spat out. He began sobbing even louder, and Shen tightened his grip on him, and continued to stroke his hair. "Yone… Yone was all I had Shen…" he sobbed.

"And now I have no one, don't I?" he cried out. "I ruined everything because of what I did earlier, I thought I had someone, I thought I wouldn't be lonely anymore but-"

Yasuo was interrupted by Shen as he gripped the samurais shoulders, and adjusted him so that he was facing himself.

"Don't" Shen started, looking at him intensely. "Don't say that" he whispered. His eyes became softer as he scanned Yasuo's face. Yasuo looked down sadly, tears beginning to escape his eyes.

"Please…" Yasuo barely whispered, his eyes looking anywhere but Shen's face. "Please tell me you don't hate me."

Shen's heart broke; why would he ever think that? However, memories of the prior events resurfaced, and he understood. He wasn't sure what to do, or how to mend what he did, but Kennen's words slowly surfaced into his head.

_"Don't be afraid of Yasuo. Don't be afraid of love."_

Shen's body took over his mind as he gently cupped Yasuo's face into his hands. He tilted Yasuo's face toward him so that he was looking at his face. The samurai's eyes were wet with tears, his expression desperate. He didn't want to lose Shen, and Shen didn't want to lose him.

He would prove to him that he cared, that he most definitely didn't hate him.

Shen slowly peeled his mask upward so that it was right below his nose and his lips were exposed. He pushed the stray hairs on Yasuo's face away, and brought his hand back to Yasuo's cheek. He pulled the samurai toward him, and pressed his lips gently against his. Yasuo's eyes closed gently as he was kissed, warmth flowing through his once cold body. Suddenly, everything was ok. Everything was solved as their lips clashed against one another, both parties desperate for one another. In the end they needed each other; they were both lonely before, desperate for companionship. However, their bond was beyond companionship. They were in love: and they both realised it was a beautiful thing.

Shen gently pulled his lips away from Yasuo's, gently planting kisses along his jawline as his hands messed with his hair. Yasuo moaned ever so softly, gripping onto Shen's yukata desperately. Shen trailed his kisses over his cheek, stopping at the scar that ran over his nose. He gently ran his thumb over the scar, and gave Yasuo a quick kiss.

"He gave this to you didn't he" Shen stated softly. Yasuo simply nodded in response.

"I'm sorry…" Shen whispered. He gently pressed his lips against it, and then brought them back to Yasuo's. Yasuo quickly returned the kiss, looping his arms around Shen's neck. Shen felt heat rushing to his face, the feelings he was experiencing were not like before; these feelings were great and powerful, feelings that now served purpose.

Feelings he wanted more of.

Shen gently gripped Yasuo's backside, pulling the samurai into his lap as they kissed. Yasuo obliged, and wrapped his legs around Shen. Shen became desperate to feel more of the samurai in front of him. He brought his hands to the back of Yasuo's head, and deepened the kiss. Yasuo moaned gently at the action, and relished in the shiver it brought to Shen. Shen gently slithered his tongue into Yasuo's mouth, and began exploring. Yasuo returned the action, and soon they were both lost in each other's touches and motions. The heat was becoming intense, and Shen gently left Yasuo's lips in favor of his neck. Shen gently pulled Yasuo's yukata down in order to expose more of the area. Yasuo bit his lip with a ligh _mm_ escaping his mouth as Shen lovingly planted kisses along his neck. The kisses sent sparks throughout Yasuo, eliciting shivers and warmth throughout him. Yasuo gripped onto Shen tightly as he continued attacking his neck with his mouth.

Suddenly, Yasuo's back was against the bed, and Shen was now on top of him. Shen brought his lips to the samurai's once more, their bodies now pressed against each other. The kiss became deeper and deeper, Shen's hands trailing various areas around Yasuo's head. As much as Yasuo was enjoying this, he couldn't deny that all this warmth was making him drowsy. Shen seemed to take notice of this, and gently pulled himself away from Yasuo. Yasuo's eyes barely fluttered open, looking up at the ninja on top of him. He felt his heart warm up as Shen smiled at him while his hand ran through his hair.

"You should probably go to sleep, you look tired" Shen whispered gently. Yasuo nodded as his eyes dared to close. Shen smiled gently, and planted one last kiss on Yasuo's forehead. He climbed off of Yasuo so that he could leave him to rest, however, he was surprised by a hand gripping his arm. He looked back to see Yasuo sitting up, grasping his arm desperately.

"Could you… Stay with me?" Yasuo pleaded, his eyes darting away with embarrassment. Shen couldn't be more happy to do so.

"Of course, Yasuo" he nodded as he climbed back onto the bed, and laid next to Yasuo. Yasuo smiled gently, and embraced him as he closed his eyes. Within no time, the samurai was asleep, breathing peacefully against Shen. Shen smiled gently, watching Yasuo sleep normally. It was then that he realised he was sure of himself, he was certain that Kennen was right.

_I'm in love with you, Yasuo._


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! First of all, hope you all had a fantastic holiday/new year. I know I did haha.
> 
> I'm excited to bring you all an update!
> 
> Please enjoy this next chapter, and stay tuned for the next (and final) chapter... It's gonna be wild (;
> 
> Also, don't forget to leave a comment if you'd like~

The morning rays of the sun crept through the window, filling the bedroom with its light. Shen winced slightly as the light hit his eyes, waking him up as it usually did. As his eyes opened, he stretched his arms out as he let out a yawn. However, there was only one thing out of the ordinary; there was a dead-asleep Yasuo clinging onto him. He looked down at the sleeping man, smiling gently at him pressed against his body. For a long time in a while he could honestly say that he was happy. He was at peace.

The ninja spent a few moments just lying there, looking at the man next to him, admiring him as he soundly slept. The rays of the sun cascading from the window were beaming against Yasuo, outlining him in a way that made him look as if he was glowing. He looked divine; the light rays only heightened the peacefulness across his face. Shen could feel himself blushing at the sight. He looked so peaceful, so beautiful. He looked like an angel. _My angel_ he thought to himself.

He brought his hand atop his head, stroking the messy strands of brown hair back into place. Since he hadn't moved his mask back down the night before, he gently planted a kiss on the samurai's forehead. Shen slightly regretted his decision to do so afterward, as Yasuo's eyes twitched at the touch. Shen brought his hand down to Yasuo's cheek, lovingly rubbing circles with his thumb as the samurai's eyes began to flutter open. Yasuo opened his eyes, slowly transitioning from his sleeping state, to fully awakening. He let his sleepy eyes trail upward, until he made eye contact with the man next to him. Yasuo smiled; so he really did stay after all.

"Good morning Shen…" Yasuo yawned out, stretching his arms as he spoke.

"Morning, Yasuo." The ninja smiled, Yasuo's smile was contagious indeed.

Yasuo gently let go of the ninja, and adjusted himself so that his back was against the head of the bed. He gently crept behind Shen, and draped his arms around the ninja as he pulled him into an embrace. He brought his head to the crook of Shen's neck, and kissed it softly. Shen shivered at the action, and leaned his head back slightly. Yasuo then brought his mouth toward Shen's ear, as if he wanted to say something.

"Thank you for staying with me" he whispered, tightening his grip around Shen. The ninja grasped his arms as he pulled him closer. Shen leaned his head back slightly so that he could capture Yasuo's lips into a kiss. Shen smiled as their lips separated, his forehead resting against Shen's. "Of course, Yasuo. Anything for you."

"Really?" Yasuo questioned, a smile forming at the words.

"Yes." Shen replied simply, looking deep into Yasuo's eyes. He was surprised to see Yasuo respond by smiling sadly.

"Will you, um, come with me somewhere?" Yasuo responded, his deep brown eyes looking toward the edge of the bed. "I… trust you a lot and I don't want to go alone-" Yasuo was cut off as Shen turned around and pulled Yasuo into a tight hug, pushing his head against his chest.

"Of course Yasuo. I'll come" he replied without hesitation.

Yasuo's eyes widened at the quickness of the reply, but they reverted back to their normal state as he smiled once again. "Thanks…" he whispered as he pulled himself closer to the ninja. Shen gently stroked his hair as he hummed happily. "So… where are we going?" Shen questioned, resting his head atop Yasuo's. Yasuo sighed sadly, looking down as he did. "I think… It's better if I just take you there" he replied.

Shen was concerned for a moment; why wouldn't he tell him? However, it seemed really important to Yasuo, so Shen decided not to push it. "Ok then, Yasuo" he murmured against his head. Yasuo simply nodded against his chest, and pulled away from the ninja. He held onto Shen's shoulders, and looked him in the eyes, smiling softly. "We should get dressed and go: we have a long walk ahead of us."

"Alright" Shen replied simply, and pulled his mask back down to its original position. Yasuo frowned at that, but he understood. However, that didn't stop him from giving him one last kiss, despite the mask being on. Shen chuckled at this, and hopped off the bed so he could go back to his room and get dressed. As he walked away, Yasuo called out to him. "Shen, really, thank you so much. This means a lot to me."

"Of course Yasuo. Anything for you."

Yasuo smiled as he watched the ninja disappear into the hallway.

* * *

 

The walk was grueling to say the least; the hot summer sun was beaming intensely on the two, and it was starting to take a toll on them. It had been at least three hours of constant walking; from nice, flat surfaces to steep hills to climb. However, the two pushed on. Yasuo especially.

It was quite obvious that Shen was exhausted. His breath was heavy, and his mask was dampening with sweat. Yasuo frowned, feeling bad that the ninja was in such bad shape. Shen's canteen of water was empty, so Yasuo grabbed his and handed it to the ninja. "We're almost there Shen I promise. Here, take mine" he said, trying his best to sound cheerful.

"Are you sure?" Shen said suspiciously, however a tone of desperation was slightly hinted. Yasuo rolled his eyes as he shoved the canteen into Shen's hands. Shen blinked.

"Yes, I'm sure" Yasuo laughed. Shen was a little surprised, but he laughed nonetheless. "Thank you Yasuo, that's very kind of you."

"Yeah yeah whatever" Yasuo blushed. Shen patted him caringly on the head.

The two continued on the path, Shen drinking the remains of Yasuo's canteen as they walked together. The two enjoyed the beautiful Ionia scenery that surrounded them: beautiful, emerald green shrubbery adorned by tall trees that sprouted delicate, yet stunning flowers of various colors. Yasuo smiled sadly; he knew they were almost there.

As they walked further, Yasuo spotted a particular hill in the distance. He gently took Shen's hand into his, and looked down toward the long stalks of grass beneath them. Shen returned the grip, and looked down at the samurai concerningly. "The place" Yasuo started, as if answering Shen's unspoken questions, "It's just up that hill over there." Shen nodded, and the two made their way there hand in hand. As the two climbed the long, steep hill, a large cherry blossom tree came into view. It was magnificent; the tree was unlike any other cherry blossom tree Shen had seen before. It was enormous, the trunk towered over the two by plenty feet, and the branches spread out in a way that made it seem as if they were trying to escape. The wind gently swayed the flowers to the side, and beautiful pink petals fell gently to the ground. Shen was in awe of its beauty, and Yasuo took notice, smiling softly as he looked toward the ground.

"It's beautiful" Shen murmured, looking up at the tree, watching as the delicate petals fell from it.

"It really is" Yasuo whispered. "I've been here so many times… And it's beauty never fades."

Taking Shen's hand, Yasuo gently pulled Shen to the top of the hill. As they approached the top, Shen gasped gently under his breath. Before them was a sword that was pierced into the ground, a beautiful one that resembled Yasuo's. The metal glimmered under the setting sun, the fallen petals surrounding the weapon. Yasuo smiled softly, a single tear escaping his eye. "This… This is where I buried Yone." Yasuo whispered sadly. "And… today is the day he died." Shen felt a wave of sadness flow through him as Yasuo walked toward the sword. "This sword was his" he murmured, falling to his knees in front of it. Yasuo sighed sadly, and turned his head to Shen, who was right behind him.

"The reason I know that today is the day is because… Well" Yasuo paused, trying his best to contain himself. Shen placed himself next to the mournful samurai, and put his arm around him, pulling him toward himself in an effort to comfort him. Yasuo let out a shaky, deep breath, and continued. "I know that it's today because my nightmares only happen during this time" he whispered. "It's as if Yone is trying to remind me through my dreams."

Tears were now streaming down his face, and he buried his head into Shen's shoulder. "I always wonder what would've happened if I had just _listened_ that day…" Yasuo whimpered. "Yone would've still been alive If I didn't mess up-" Yasuo was cut off as Shen pulled him tightly toward him, rubbing his back gently as Yasuo began sobbing.

"Yasuo…" Shen whispered gently against his head. "It's ok… What's done is done. We can't change the past, as much as we'd love to. Trust me, I know." Yasuo nodded gently against Shen's chest, the sobbing subsiding little by little. "No matter what, don't stop searching. Yone wouldn't have wanted that" Shen murmured. "And I will help you no matter what. You have me now Yasuo. That's a promise."

Yasuo pulled himself closer to Shen, tightening his grip around him. He looked up to the ninja, who returned the eye contact gently. Shen gently wiped off the tears that tainted his face, and ran his hand through the samurai's hair.

"Do you really mean that Shen? Do you promise not to leave me?" Yasuo murmured.

"I would never. I can't leave you now." Shen replied confidently.

"Good... " Yasuo whispered as he rested his head against Shen's chest. "If you leave me… I wouldn't be able to bear it." His cheeks flushed a light pink as the words left his mouth.

"And neither would I" Shen replied truthfully.

Yasuo blinked, and looked back up to Shen. Did he hear what he thought he just heard?

"...Why is that?" Yasuo questioned quietly, looking at Shen with eyes of anticipation. Shen smiled softly, and cupped Yasuo's face into his hands.

"Because… You saved me Yasuo" Shen whispered.

"What? What do you mean?" Yasuo replied, genuinely confused. Shen chuckled.

"You showed me what was missing in my life. You filled a void in my heart that I never knew existed" he murmured. Yasuo could feel his face getting hot.

"The reason I can't let you go…" he said in a hushed tone as he brought his face toward Yasuo's ear. "Is because I've fallen in love with you."

Time seemed to freeze for Yasuo as those very words left Shen's mouth. He felt his blood rush up to his face instantly, his brain seemed to stop functioning too. Although all he wanted to do was rip Shen's mask off and kiss him right there and then, he contained himself. Lost in the moment, he ended up saying something totally different instead.

"Y-you what?-"

Suddenly, Yasuo was cut off by the voice of Ionian soldiers making their way toward the two. Battle cries and shouts of Yasuo's name could be heard creeping closer and closer.

"There he is!" the leader of the soldiers screamed. "Capture him, NOW!"

The group of soldiers were quick to obey, as they charged full speed toward the samurai. However, Shen reacted instantly, and roughly grabbed onto Yasuo's arm as he pulled him away from an arrow headed straight for him. Still grasping onto Yasuo, he ran full speed with the man trailing behind him.

"After them!"

Shen picked up the pace, trying desperately to find a place to hide so he could teleport the two out of there. They were beginning to become largely out numbered, and soldiers began emerging from various areas ahead of them. Yasuo looked horrified, and Shen felt for him in that moment, but they had to get out. The two ran as fast as they could, dodging arrows shot at them as they did. They were both panting; being exhausted from the long walk here didn't help their current situation at all. However, adrenaline took over for Shen as an idea floated to his head.

"Yasuo!" Shen shouted. Yasuo quickly turned his head to the ninja and gave him a questioning look. "Use your windwall, now!"

Yasuo hesitated for a moment; why did he want him to use it? They were evading attacks perfectly fine after all. However, the look in Shen's eyes made it clear that he had to do it. So he did.

The moment he casted it, Shen pulled Yasuo toward him and held on to him tightly. The ninja closed his eyes in deep concentration as a bright purple light began to surround them. Yasuo looked around in panic, not knowing what was going on, however he trusted Shen and held onto him tightly. With an elongated _haaa!_ escaping Shen's mouth, the two were gone in an instant.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS NSFW!*
> 
> Hello everyone! We have come to the end ): However, I really hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> I have a lot more stories I have in mind that I'd like to write, so I hope you all stick around for those (:
> 
> Also if you happen to have requests, I'd be glad to take them in the comments!
> 
> Enjoy!

With a light _poof_ , the two men were teleported back into Shen's room. They fell from the air, landing onto the wooden floor with a loud thud. Yasuo groaned in annoyance as he rubbed his head, which was throbbing in pain from the impact. He scanned his surroundings; he had never been in Shen's room after all. It was oddly simple, yet luxurious at the same time. the walls were a plain, creamy white lined by deep brown wooden floors. There was a large king-sized bed, fitted with a wide, white fluffy comforter and matching pillows. Along the wall, there were large doors that lead to a wide balcony outside, giving a beautiful view of the shrubbery and temple's surroundings.

However, when Yasuo looked to his side, he found Shen lying down on the floor motionless. Yasuo panicked instantly, grasping Shen's shoulders and scanning his face. His eyes were shut, and his breathing was faltering. Yasuo gasped, pulling him off the floor so that he was sitting upright. Shen's head limply fell forward, as if he had no control of his body. Panicking, Yasuo shook the ninja violently. "Shen?!" he yelled, continuing to shake him. "Shen! Wake up Shen!"

There was no answer.

Yasuo quickly picked up the unconscious ninja, and hauled him over to the bed. He placed Shen atop the bed gently, and sat over him. He cupped Shen's head into his hands, and sighed sadly. "Shen please… Wake up please…" he whispered.

Yasuo knew Shen was going to wake up, he was certain. However, seeing him like this pained him severely. Imagining Shen dead was unbearable, and thoughts of tragic scenarios surfaced to his head. He gently embraced Shen's body, and rested his head against his chest as he waited for the ninja to wake up. He shut his eyes gently as he felt a hot tear escape his eye; he truly was worried for the ninja. However, all traces of worry left him as he felt a familiar, warm hand make its way atop his head. "Yasuo?"

Yasuo quickly turned around, and changed his position so that he was on top of Shen with his legs on either side of the ninja's body. He looked down, only to find those glowing, golden eyes staring back at him. He sighed in relief, and placed his hands on the ninja's shoulders.

"Geez Shen… You scared the life out of me…" he murmured, sniffling and trying to rid himself of the tears he bore. Shen frowned, seeing Yasuo teary eyed and worried over him saddened him. However, it was slightly comforting to know that the samurai felt strongly about him. He snaked his arms around Yasuo, and pulled him towards him body in a tight embrace. Yasuo nuzzled against his chest, humming softly as Shen ran his fingers through the samurai's hair like he always did.

"I'm sorry for worrying you…" Shen whispered against Yasuo's head, stroking the samurai's back gently. "In order to get us here, I had to use quite a lot of energy. I guess I over exerted myself" he chuckled softly. Yasuo nodded against the ninja in understanding. Yasuo sighed as he removed himself from Shen's grasp so that he could position himself over the ninja once more. Shen looked at him questionably, wondering why he left. However, he couldn't get himself to ask any questions, as the sight of Yasuo blushing furiously left him speechless. Yasuo scooted a little closer to the ninja so that their faces were only inches apart, and finally allowed his eyes to meet Shen's. "Shen… What you said back there… Did you really mean it?" Yasuo asked so quietly that he wasn't sure if Shen had heard him. Shen chuckled softly at the question, and brought a hand to Yasuo's face. The samurai's face was hot with what Shen thought was embarrassment, but was actually anticipation. Shen knew he meant it. He was certain that these feelings he held were undeniable, and he would do anything to prove it to him. He rubbed his thumb gently along Yasuo's face, and answered him. "Of course I meant it Yasuo" he replied simply, however to Yasuo this meant everything.

Yasuo nodded against Shen's palm, and looked away from him shyly. "If you really mean it… Will you let me see your face?"

Shen's heart stuttered slightly, however, he knew this was the man he trusted, this was the man he _loved_. Truth be told, he hadn't shown his face to anyone besides his father and his closest disciples, however he knew he had to do this. He was nervous to say the least; what would Yasuo think of him? Nonetheless, he nodded, and guided the samurai's hand to his mask.

Yasuo's eyes widened; he hadn't expected Shen to oblige. Yet, his body flooded with newfound anticipation as he slowly peeled off the deep purple fabric. Shen took a deep breath, and closed his eyes as he felt the mask come off his face. Once it was off completely, Yasuo's eyes widened even further.

He was more handsome than he imagined.

Yasuo felt his face turn red as he examined his lover's face. His face almost looked as if it had been chiseled to perfection; crisp, slightly elevated cheekbones adorned by a light pink flush. The ninja's hair was a medium length, golden brown locks stopping around halfway down his neck, and covering most of his forehead. However, what stood out to Yasuo the most were his eyes. The glow seemed to have faded away, only to reveal beautiful, golden-green eyes decorated with thick, long lashes. Yasuo felt his jaw dropping slightly at the sight before him: he was beautiful.

Shen looked away nervously; was this good or bad? However, his worries subsided as Yasuo gently trailed his hand down Shen's face. "Shen… I can see why you don't want to take off the mask" Yasuo chuckled tenderly. "If I had seen your face sooner… I might of fallen for you the moment I saw you" he whispered gently. Shen felt his face getting warm at his words, and he laughed quietly. Seeing Shen like this warmed Yasuo's heart, and only heightened his feelings for him. Yasuo smiled shyly at the ninja, and began to inch his face closer to Shen's until his lips settled gently onto his. The kiss was slow and passionate, a kiss that brought out a new feeling within the two lovers: desire.

Shen could feel a fierce heat beginning to arise within him as he pulled Yasuo closer to him, deepening the kiss further. Yasuo whimpered softly, this was becoming too much for him to handle. He wanted more.

Yasuo snaked his hands under Shen's head, and pressed himself against the ninja's body, gently rubbing against him as he did. Shen groaned quietly, clearly enjoying the treatment Yasuo was giving him. This continued for a few minutes, and soon enough, what was soft and passionate kissing became a fierce, heated make out session with both parties hands exploring each other's bodies. However, at some point it seemed the two forgot how to breathe, and abruptly separated from one another, the two gasping for air. As Shen tried to steady his breathing, he took a look at his partner. Yasuo's eyes were half lidded, his lips parted to allow steady breathing. Sweat had begun to collect on his forehead, and gently dribble down his face. Shen blushed furiously at the sight before him, and felt his blood rush straight where he didn't want it to. However, he couldn't help it, and he couldn't deny his urges much longer.

He wanted _all_ of Yasuo.

Shen swiftly sat up, and pulled Yasuo into his lap. He gently allowed his hand to travel toward the band that kept his ponytail up, fingering it gingerly. "May I?" Shen whispered against Yasuo's lips. Yasuo chuckled softly; Shen truly was obsessed with his hair. "Of course Shen" he replied quietly. With permission granted, Shen undid the band, and watched in awe as the waterfall of silky, deep brown locks surrounded the samurai. Shen gasped under his breath, the sight before him exquisite. "Oh my…" Shen trailed off as he ran his hands though his lover's hair tenderly. Yasuo closed his eyes to the touch, relishing in it. It was genuinely comforting to have Shen's hands run along his scalp, he wasn't quite sure why though. Shen quietly placed a soft kiss on Yasuo's forehead, and tilted his head up slightly so he could kiss his lips briefly. He hovered over his lips shortly, and went in for one more. He then parted from Yasuo, hovering over his lips once more. Shen sighed gently against him, and whispered ever so softly.

"You're perfect…"

Yasuo couldn't take it anymore, he wanted Shen now. He began to feverously kiss Shen, and Shen definitely got the message. He returned the kiss with just as much force, and softly, yet desperately pushed Yasuo against the bed. He began to attack Yasuo's neck with kisses, claiming every inch with his lips. Yasuo moaned needily at the contact, desperate for more of the touches along his body. The samurai brought his hands to Shen's head, pushing him against the crook of his neck, physically asking him for more. Shen obliged, and continued to pepper kisses atop his neck. With every kiss, Yasuo gripped onto Shen's hair tighter, begging him for more. Shen groaned against his skin, and bit down into the crook of his neck, marking him. Yasuo let out a soft whine at the pain, however Shen was quick to shower the mark he made with loving kisses, easing the samurai of the burning sensation. Although Shen's mind was clouded and heavy with lust, he separated from the samurai, and sat on top of him, looking at his work. Yasuo was panting heavily, his eyes half lidded and ridden with lust. His hair fanned out along the bed, which made Shen throb with desire. Yasuo noticed this, and looked away shyly, embarrassed by the condition he was currently in.

"Yasuo…" Shen panted, placing a hand along Yasuo's cheek. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Yasuo cupped Shen's face into his hands, and looked at him with desperate eyes. "Shen… If you love me…" he whispered, bringing his face closer so that they were almost touching.

"Then _claim_ me."

And those words were all it took to drive Shen over the edge.

Shen began to furiously kiss Yasuo, and Yasuo returned the kiss with just as much force and desperation. As they kissed, Shen's hands trailed Yasuo's body, exploring every curve and crevice there was. Yasuo writhed anxiously in pleasure, every brush of Shen's hand being electrifying. Once Shen had gotten used to the feel of Yasuo's body, he decided he wanted more. He gripped onto the poncho that covered his chest, and pulled it off his body in one swift movement. Shen straddled Yasuo, and examined his chest thoroughly. A multitude of scars adorned his body, some small, and some incredibly large. Shen frowned sadly at the sight, and brushed his fingers against a rather large scar that trailed from his collarbone down to the middle of his chest. Yasuo shivered at the incredibly soft touch, and moaned quietly as Shen trailed kisses along it too. Shen let his free hand roam Yasuo's chest freely, stopping at a certain area.

"Ahh!" Yasuo stuttered as Shen's fingers brushed against one of his nipples. Shen smiled against Yasuo's chest; he was enjoying every noise he made Yasuo make. He wanted to hear more, and he knew exactly how to do it.

Shen let his lips trail across his lover's chest until they met the other nipple, and kissed it softly while he stimulated the other bud with his thumb in a circular motion. Yasuo moaned loudly, slowly arching his back as Shen stimulated him further. Frantic hands met Shen's shoulders, gripping him hard as he continued to attack his chest. Shen chuckled softly at Yasuo's reactions, and applied more pressure with his thumb. "You're incredibly sensitive, Yasuo" Shen whispered, returning his lips to the mound. Yasuo opened his mouth to retort, however all that came out was a long _mmmmphh!_ as Shen flicked his tongue across the bud. "S-shen… ahhh" Yasuo moaned loudly. He could feel himself tipping over the edge, all the sensations making him harden by the second. Shen hummed happily as he heard Yasuo panting breathlessly, and most of all, he could feel Yasuo's erection against him. He smiled internally: it was time for the next step.

Shen continued to stimulate his chest, however he slowly snaked his hand so that it was over Yasuo's clothed member. Yasuo gasped in pleasure, and shut his eyes tightly as Shen began rubbing it back and forth with his palm. Yasuo writhed as Shen continued to palm him, the grip on Shen's shoulder's tightening even further. Shen finally decided to leave Yasuo's chest in favor of his lips, as he kissed him deeply and passionately. Yasuo moaned against his lips, trying his best to stifle them with the kiss, however he failed miserably. Yasuo began to feel the heat in his groin intensifying, begging to be touched even more. He began to grind his hips against Shen's palm desperately, and Shen understood what he wanted. Shen left Yasuo's lips, and began to trail kisses so that they led lower, and lower, until they met Yasuo's waistband. Yasuo gripped Shen anxiously, wanting Shen to touch him desperately. And so, he did.

Shen handled the rope that held Yasuo's baggy pants up, and undid the rope swiftly. He then gripped the top of his pants and underwear, and slowly de-robed him. Soon enough, Yasuo was lying there naked, and Shen took a moment to admire his lover before he went any further. Yasuo was breathless, panting desperately as he awaited Shen. Shen smiled softly at him, and leaned forward to kiss him one more time. He then brought his lips to Yasuo's ear, and whispered tenderly to him. "You're beautiful…"

"S-shen" Yasuo moaned gently as Shen kissed his neck softly. Yasuo gently gripped Shen's head, and moved it so that their faces were inches away. Shen looked down at him questionably. "Hmm?"

"I…" Yasuo whispered, his face turning a little more red. "I love you."

Shen felt a splash of red surface his face. Although he knew that Yasuo loved him, hearing him say the words was a whole new experience. He smiled softly, and Yasuo returned it. He then leaned in to kiss him briefly, and let his lips linger for a bit. "I love you too" he said gently, running his hand through his long hair. "Are you ready?" Shen asked, kissing his neck once more.

"Y-yes" Yasuo murmured.

"Good…" Shen started, positioning himself to where he was prior. "Because I don't think I can hold back much longer."

Yasuo's eyes widened in interest and lust as Shen began to untie his shozoku, letting the top of it fall off. He tossed it aside, and proceeded to pull off the lower half as well as his undergarments, tossing those aside as well. Now that he too was completely devoid of his clothing, he picked up where he left off.

Shen gently wrapped his hand around Yasuo's member, and began to stroke it slowly. Yasuo began panting again, grasping the sheets surrounding him as Shen continued to stroke him at that agonizingly slow pace. Yasuo writhed in pleasure, arching his back and thrusted his hips desperately so he could feel more of Shen's warm hand. Shen knew he wanted more, so he decided to go further, lowering himself so that his mouth was at the same level as his member, and gently kissed the tip as he continued to stroke at a faster pace. "Aaa… aaah!" Yasuo moaned aloud as Shen flicked his tongue along the tip of his manhood, the motions causing his member to throb in immense pleasure. He brought his shaky hands down to Shen's head, grasping the tufts of golden brown hair as Shen worked him whole thing was turning Shen on more and more, and he could feel himself becoming fully erect as Yasuo reacted to his gentle touches.

Shen's body was losing its patience, and Shen wanted to feel pleasure too, so he began to prepare Yasuo as he continued to work his lower half. As he continued to lick and rub at Yasuo's member, he swirled his finger around Yasuo's entrance, causing Yasuo to jump a bit in surprise. However, he quickly relaxed as he realized it actually felt _good_. Shen smiled internally; he was doing this right. He continued to rub at his entrance, making sure that Yasuo was completely comfortable before he went any further.

Yasuo was clearly content, moaning softly and rolling his hips into Shen's hand. Shen established that Yasuo was relaxed enough to go on with the next step, so he slowly and ever so carefully entered a finger into him. Yasuo whined in slight pain as the appendage fully sheathed itself, his grip on Shen's head becoming stronger. Shen took notice of this, and left his member briefly to look at Yasuo in concern.

Yasuo's eyes were sealed tight in nervous anticipation, however when Shen left his lower half, he opened them slightly to look at his lover atop him. Concerned eyes met heavy lidded ones, and Shen began to gently run his hand through Yasuo's hair to get him to relax.

"Are you alright?" Shen whispered softly, slightly worried. Yasuo blushed in embarrassment, his eyes darting to the side. "Yes…" he whispered back, not meeting Shen's gaze. "I'm just a little nervous" he admitted breathlessly. "I've… Never done this before… With a man that is"

Shen's eyes slightly widened in surprise; for some reason he expected Yasuo to have been experienced with these kinds of things. Yet, it was comforting to know that he wasn't the only one new to this. Shen smiled back at Yasuo softly, and Yasuo blushed even deeper. "It's ok Yasuo… I'm new to this too" he stated, leaning down to kiss him. "I promise I will make this a good experience" he whispered against the samurai's ear, which made him shiver in anticipation. "O-ok Shen" he barely stuttered out as Shen planted loving kisses along his neck. "I trust you" he murmured as the tightness around Shen's finger laxed. Shen smiled once more, and kissed Yasuo softly before wrapping his hand around the samurai's member once more. Yasuo shivered at the returning warmth, his eyes narrowing and lips parting in lust once more. "May I move?" Shen asked quietly, making sure that Yasuo was ready. Yasuo nodded sheepishly, intertwining his fingers with the hand Shen offered him.

Shen began arching the finger inside him, rubbing back and forth slowly, trying to get Yasuo used to the feeling. Yasuo closed his eyes, trying to focus on the pleasure and relax to Shen's movement. He groaned as another finger was added, searching and prodding inside him. Shen picked up the pace, arching his fingers again and moving back and forth, looking for that one special spot. He also began to pump Yasuo faster, letting his palm curl around the tip and fall back down the shaft.

Yasuo was getting used to the feeling of Shen's fingers, and starting to enjoy the newfound fullness they elicited. Faint moans escaped his mouth as Shen worked him thoroughly, making sure that every sensation was pleasurable. Suddenly, Shen rubbed against a spot within him that sent a jolt of pleasure through him, causing his cock to twitch against Shen's hand and turning his vision white.

"Ahhnn!" Yasuo moaned aloud, trying to catch his breath. Although Yasuo had felt pleasure before, this was unlike any sensation he had ever experienced before. He now craved it, he needed to feel it again. "S-shen… again" he moaned, his voice coming out more sultry than he intended it to. Shen happily obliged, brushing his fingers against his prostate once more with a little bit more pressure. Yasuo gasped, his back arching harshly as pre began to dribble out of his member. He moaned out Shen's name one more, driving Shen wild with all of his reactions. Shen could feel lust overtaking his body as he removed his fingers from Yasuo, earning him a shaky whine.

"You're ready…" Shen stated quietly as he reached for his own member, which was throbbing needily. Yasuo bit his finger and nodded, watching as Shen parted his legs to allow him access. Shen rubbed himself softly, moaning ever so quietly before he scooted closer to Yasuo in order to align himself. "I'm going…" Shen whispered, informing his partner as he slowly began to press the tip in. Yasuo gasped, clawing onto Shen's back desperately as he felt Shen enter him inch by inch. "Nnnn!" Yasuo cried out through gritted teeth, the fullness was too much. Shen grunted; Yasuo was tight.

"Mmm… Y-yasuo…" Shen moaned softly, closing his eyes as he tried to get a feel for his lover beneath him. On the other hand, Yasuo was trying his best to accommodate for the intrusion within him, pulling Shen toward his body, nails digging deep into his back. He tried his best to relax, but he couldn't deny that it was hard. Shen noticed his discomfort, and gently cupped Yasuo's face into his palm. He leaned forward, kissing Yasuo softly, trying his best to help relax him. Yasuo closed his eyes, and whined gently against Shen's lips as the dull burn coursed through him. Shen hovered over Yasuo's lips, running his thumb over them gently. "It's ok…" Shen cooed quietly, his eyes half ridden with lust. "You're doing great" he whispered, returning his lips to Yasuo's once more. Yasuo brought his hands behind Shen's head, deepening the kiss further to try and relax himself more.

It worked.

Yasuo moaned softly as Shen kissed him passionately, letting Shen's hands trail through his long hair as he slipped his tongue into the samurai's mouth. Yasuo could feel the tenseness subside, and so could Shen. As they kissed, Shen began to move his hips slowly, causing Yasuo to groan. The feeling of being empty then full again elicited a dull burn within him, however after a few minutes the burn subsided, leaving him with only pleasure as Shen went in and out inside of him. Pained groans turned into pleasured moans as Shen began to thrust faster and stronger inside of him.

"S-shen… ahh!" he moaned aloud as Shen took a hold of his legs for leverage, thrusting particularly deep into him. "Yes… more" he panted sensually, the sensations growing on him.

Shen felt a shiver run down his spine at the request, seeing Yasuo flushed and aroused was driving him crazy. He gripped onto Yasuo's hips tightly, and began thrusting into him deeper and harder. Yasuo shut his eyes tightly, gripping onto the sheets so hard that his knuckles were turning white. Strings of moans and pants escaped him as Shen pounded against him harder, making Shen go wild with lust. Shen panted in immense pleasure; the tightness around him and the sounds Yasuo made only made him press on harder.

Yasuo's mind was clouded with pure bliss as Shen's thrust became more powerful and needy. Shen was becoming out of breath as he furiously pounded into Yasuo, the pleasure building up immensely. Suddenly, Yasuo let out a long, shaky moan as Shen hit his prostate, leaving him breathless. "S-shen...Shen do it again" he whimpered needily, gripping onto his back desperately as well as wrapping his legs around him. All Shen could do was nod breathlessly, finding that spot again and rubbing against it furiously. Yasuo gasped as Shen hit his sweet spot over and over, his vision becoming blurrier by the second. Yasuo was getting close, and by the way that Shen's thrusts were faltering, he knew that he was too.

Without warning, Shen clamped onto Yasuo's backside with his hands, and pulled the man into his lap. Yasuo gasped as this new position allowed Shen to thrust even deeper inside him, hitting his prostate harder and more efficiently. Yasuo clamped onto Shen as tightly as he could, panting and moaning wildly against Shen's ear. "Shen… Shen...ahh! Harder….Please" he whimpered between breaths desperately, and Shen obeyed, thrusting deeper and faster than ever before. Yasuo could feel his release coming, the thrusts and rubbing against his prostate becoming too much. Shen was also close, his thrusts faltering more and more by the second. Shen gripped onto him tightly, gently nipping on his ear in between breathless pants. "Yasuo… I-I'm close…" Shen barely breathed out. "W-where?" he asked breathlessly as he pounded into him.

"I-inside" he moaned just as breathlessly. Shen shivered, his orgasm just moments away. He quickly freed one of the hands that clamped onto Yasuo's back in order to pump him while he thrusted desperately, driving Yasuo over the edge. With one last pump, Yasuo threw his head back, letting out a long awaited moan as he came. Long ropes of white spurted from him, splattering against Shen's chest and dribbling downward. The sight of Yasuo finding his release, accompanied by the immense tightness from it was enough to make Shen find his own release. He buried himself deep inside Yasuo as he came, filling his lover up to the brim. He moaned against Yasuo's chest as every thick rope of cum left him, until he was completely emptied.

The two were left breathless, trying desperately to regain their composure as Shen gently slid himself outside of Yasuo. Yasuo groaned at the new, empty feeling, and the two collapsed onto the bed side by side. Shen pulled Yasuo into a tight embrace, pushing him against his chest as the two relished in the blissful afterglow. He lovingly played with Yasuo's hair as he planted a soft kiss atop his head. Shen could feel Yasuo smile against him as he hummed happily.

"We're one now…" Shen whispered sleepily against Yasuo's head. Yasuo chuckled softly, and tilted his head up to kiss Shen tenderly.

"We are…" he murmured against his lips.

The two stayed there enjoying the feeling, letting the afterglow subside as they began to fall asleep. They truly had worked hard after all.

As Yasuo nuzzled against Shen, he smiled internally: this was the moment he was waiting for, the moment he worked hard for. All of his hardships melted away, as he was cured by love. Although Shen had already sound asleep, he wrapped his arms around his lover, and murmured one last time against his chest.

_I love you, Shen._


End file.
